UX Strategies for Aligning Research Software Teams

Slides from Kate Arneson's presentation to the CASS User/Developer Experience working group's webinar on July 7, 2026. Recording available on Youtube.  In this talk, links to a PRD document template and a PRD table template are shared.

Abstract: Have you ever been a part of a project where it seems that every stakeholder has a different vision? Or even one stakeholder with multiple visions? Research software is complex on its own but add in real human beings and the process can become even more so. Research software teams are often lean, without dedicated roles like product or project managers (or designers!), leaving engineers to untangle competing priorities. In this session, we’ll explore approaches from UX for translating researcher goals into a shared, user-centered vision for aligning software teams.