Primary Research

At Nike, Matt spent years doing monthly field visits and twice-yearly immersion trips—walking stores, shadowing athletes, sitting in living rooms, talking to parents, coaches, and frontline staff. That habit never left. At Watson, we still believe in being there. Not just behind a screen or spreadsheet—but present, listening, asking, and watching.

We use primary research to see what surveys can’t. Observing how people behave. Hearing how they talk. Spotting contradictions between what they say and what they signal. It’s not just about collecting quotes—it’s about reading between the lines. Hypothesizing motivations. Catching the friction behind a smile. These insights often form the foundation for persona development, messaging frameworks, and design strategies that actually resonate.

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Research You Can Feel

Our primary research practice blends structure with openness. We lead ethnographic immersions, in-depth interviews, and user testing sessions that reveal not just usability gaps—but emotional ones. We run diary studies, shop-alongs, and contextual inquiries to capture behavior in real environments.

We design co-creation workshops that bring audiences into the process—letting them help shape the very thing we’re building. And we leverage tools like A/B testing, concept testing, and card sorting to validate decisions without losing the nuance <>User Testing <>Prototype Testing.

We’re also not afraid to go off-script. Some of the best insights come from hallway conversations, offhand comments, or unscheduled chats with your team or customers. We pay attention to those too.

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Services

Behavior, Hypotheses, and Human Truths

Behavior can be observed. Motivation must be inferred. We approach this work like researchers and storytellers—gathering what’s there, but also connecting the emotional and cultural dots. These sessions help us build more complete personas <>Persona Development and design journeys that reflect reality <>Journey Mapping.

Stakeholder interviews, participatory design, and behavioral tracking all play a role. But the value isn’t in the method alone—it’s in how we interpret what we learn and translate it into something useful, usable, and resonant.

Micro Services

The wider the lens,
the sharper the view.

By intention, we work across industries—because depth matters, but so does breadth. Range fuels fresh thinking. Creative tension sparks better questions. And curiosity? That’s where the breakthroughs begin.

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It's different here.

From Portland to Bend, Seattle to Sausalito—our teams are spread across the West Coast, nestled between forests, surf breaks, and the occasional volcano. The kind of landscape that fuels bold ideas and creative mischief.

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Culture

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Primary Research

Primary Research

Primary Research