Ania Mastalerz
Lead Researcher
Atlassian
The Researcher as a Diplomat
Design Research track
The Researcher as a Diplomat
In the world of UX research, we often act as diplomats - navigating competing interests, translating perspectives, and persuading without authority. This talk explores what diplomacy can teach us about stakeholder management: how to build trust across power dynamics, negotiate research priorities, and maintain influence when decisions aren’t ours to make. Drawing from real diplomatic principles - like soft power, coalition building, and framing narratives - I’ll share how researchers can use these techniques to move from “fighting for research” to shaping strategy through relationships.
Ania Mastalerz
Ania Mastalerz is a Lead Researcher at Atlassian, working at the intersection of technology, design, and human behaviour. She’s spent the past decade partnering with product teams at Atlassian, Xero, and Optimal Workshop to shape experiences used by millions of people around the world. With a background in applied psychology and a passion for qualitative methods, Ania brings a pragmatic approach to uncovering insights that help teams balance rigour with speed. When she’s not diving into complex research questions, you’ll find her tackling DIY renovations, heading to the beach with her dog, or snowboarding down a mountain.