Can AI help us make insights stick within organizations?

Our Vision: AI-Enhanced Research Deliverables

Great research is more than just data; it’s about creating those “aha!” moments that resonate long after the project ends.

At FLUID Design, our goal is to make insights unforgettable, so they become part of a team’s collective knowledge—a shared foundation that guides their work, like a story or persona everyone knows.

‍So, how do we make insights stick? Recently, this question has led us to explore how AI can transform research into something more immersive, dynamic, and enduring. Imagine AI-enhanced storytelling that brings insights to life, engaging teams across design, development, and stakeholders. The aim is to create a shared understanding that carries far beyond the project's scope.

Our work at FLUID is grounded in a human-centered approach. The insights we uncover don’t just sit in reports; they become a part of our clients’ mindset. Yet, even the most powerful insights can lose momentum if they don’t reach every layer of a company. So, we’ve asked ourselves: How can we ensure our research continues to drive action long after the initial excitement?

Traditionally, we’ve relied on detailed reports, presentations, and workshops. They’re effective, but let’s face it -they can be static and hard to share beyond the core team. That’s why we’re now exploring AI chatbots to keep our research dynamic and relevant across the entire organisation. These chatbots evolve and grow over time, keeping insights fresh and impactful.

At the heart of our approach is the belief that ethical research, and the human interpretation of findings, remain irreplaceable. For us AI is not a substitute but a tool. We act as the filter through which these insights are crafted into engaging, human-centered deliverables.

We believe that ethical research should be conducted by humans who can evaluate and interpret findings through a “human lens.” Our intuition and empathy are irreplaceable when it comes to human-centerd design. That’s why we see AI notas a substitute for traditional research, but as an additional tool to enhance communication and engagement with our insights.

OurExperiment: Engaging & Relatable Personas

Right now, we’re experimenting with several chatbot models, each tailored to meet the unique needs of different teams within an organisation. Our dream AI persona isn’t just a know-it-all bot; it’s a true sparring partner, with the power to transform how insights are shared and utilised.

Here’s what we’re aiming for:

• A sparring partner for design teams: Offering support during ideation and concept evaluation, helping creative minds think bigger.
• An empathy bridge for development teams: Bringing user needs, pain points, and motivations into focus, ensuring that human-centred design remains at the heart of every decision.
• A strategic advisor for executives: Enabling informed, insight-driven decisions that align with both user needs and business goals.
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To test AI’s potential, we conducted a brief experiment within one of FLUID’s main areas of expertise: healthcare. Building on our experience with type 2 diabetes patients, we developed three unique AI personas.

• Patients Struggling with Stigma and Self-Blame: Individuals facing emotional challenges in managing their health journey.
• Proactive and Self-Directed Patients: Those who actively manage their health with focus and discipline.
• Young Professionals: People balancing a busy lifestyle while keeping their condition in check.

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We didn’t stop at just creating personas.  We brought them to life with rich backstories and real-world challenges that made them feel human. Every detail was rooted in our deep qualitative research, ensuring these personas weren’t just data points but relatable, insightful characters. And, of course, we took great care to anonymize personal information, keeping data privacy a top priority.

This is where FLUID’s expertise truly shines: AI can only be as good as the insights we feed it. It’s our deep understanding of human behavior and context that allows AI to communicate in a way that resonates. To push the boundaries further, we created mock study data—surveys, interviews, and questionnaires—to see how AI handles complex information. The result? Engaging, actionable insights that spark real impact.

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The Tools We’re Playing With

Initially we’ve worked with two tools: ChatGPT for text interactions, chosen because it’s familiar to our clients and aligns with our goal of making insights more accessible. We also experimented with D-ID, adding video and voice for another layer of engagement. Each tool comes with its own strengths and limitations:

ChatGPT: This tool is fantastic for creating unique personalities. Our personas came to life, with distinct tones and attitudes. ChatGPT excelled in brainstorming and idea evaluation, but it wasn’t always consistent. Sometimes it nailed specific data retrieval; other times, not so much. We’re now tweaking and refining how it handles information to get the most out of it.

D-ID: This added a layer of immersion with voice and video. Interactions felt more natural and engaging, and it referenced data more accurately than ChatGPT. However, conversations could get repetitive, and it wasn’t as insightful for brainstorming. Still, it showed us the potential for AI to make insights feel more personal and intuitive.

Where We’re Headed

We see enormous potential in using AI to embed insights into our clients’ mindsets and daily workflows. But we’re not pretending to have all the answers just yet. We’re experimenting, refining, and learning every step of the way. The ultimate goal? To provide tools that don’t just inform but also inspire ongoing innovation and growth within our clients’ organisations.

Drawing from our experience and expertise, we have a clear vision and value proposition: to ensure that insights are actionable and lasting.
Now we’re curious about applying the right AI technology to make it happen.

Stay Tuned!

This is just the beginning. As we continue to explore AI’s possibilities and the rapid advancements in its tool landscape, we’ll share our progress and insights along the way. AI isn’t just a buzzword at FLUID Design; it’s a new tool we’re actively shaping to help our clients make their research stick in the long run. We invite you to stay tuned for more updates on this exciting journey and be part of this ongoing discourse.

Words by Jolane Schaffner & Carolin Barthelme