Building B2B Research Lab for a Bank
Function Building · User Experience · UX Maturity · Service Design · CJM · VoC · Eye-tracking · Emotion AI · B2B Fintech
Over 3 years (2020–2023), I built the B2B research function at Alfa Bank - a top-five Russian bank with 2M business clients, comparable to NatWest Commercial in scale.

I started with no team and no executive buy-in; I left with 16 researchers, a figital lab with eye-tracking and emotion AI, and research embedded in product decision-making.
Figital lab + AI methods
Eye-tracking · Emotion AI · Live observation

One of Russia's first figital research environments
I designed the B2B research environment within the research lab, enabling product teams to validate complex B2B workflows in replicated business contexts (offices and service points) with eye-tracking, cameras with emotion AI system and live observation.

Impact:
  • Evidence-based insights for projects like applications, loans, Cross-border B2B payments
  • Faster cross-functional alignment
  • Research embedded into B2B product decision-making
Research Governance Model
I used the Nielsen Norman Group UX maturity model as the executive alignment tool — gave leadership a shared language for where we were and where we needed to go. That unlocked budget and organisational commitment.

Exec alignment
  • aligned leadership on integrating research into product decision-making.
Embedded in the lifecycle.
  • I embedded researchers into key B2B teams
  • introduced mandatory UX validation checkpoints before development handoff. Piloted on high-impact initiatives uch as a new loans concept, Small Business CJM, then scaled across teams.
  • Connected VoC and research insights with business prioritisation.
Closing the feedback loop
I built a closed-loop VoC system: structured problem prioritisation, backlog integration, post-release tracking.
I led the Small Business CJM - identifying the churn drivers - and managed the improvement cycle through to outcome validation.

Evidence:
  • 70% of critical platform issues resolved
  • VoC score improved 14,5%
  • Research directly informed backlog changes following churn and other studies
  • Alfa was rated best B2B bank by Markswebb (Russia's leading independent benchmark for digital banking services).
Scalable Research Team
  • I built and scaled a B2B research team of 16 Product Researchers, UX Analysts, and UX Writers.
  • Standardised methodology and knowledge base so teams operated independently across 120+ product teams
  • Co-created the Competency Assessment Framework for CX/UX Researchers with Elena Svergenenko — competency map, grade model, assessment process, quarterly retrospectives. Published as an open kit.
Hands-on examples
With the research lab, team, and governance in place, researchers became the glue connecting product teams with real client experience.
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