Pauline Delepaut

UX Researcher & FOUNDER | 10+ years in B2b

trusted by

• LinkedIn

About

Overview:
1. Why I get out of bed in the morning
2. How it all started
3. The human behind the professional

Why I get out of bed in the morningWith ten years in the B2B industry, I’m all about connecting the dots between business goals and user needs.
I thrive on the 0-to-1 phase of UX research, helping companies lay a strong foundation and empowering teams to integrate research into their workflows.My approach is pragmatic, and I’m passionate about enabling product teams to dive into UX research themselves.I’ve supported product teams in B2B SaaS companies in setting up research roadmaps, running strategical and tactical research and prioritizing key insights.I've also founded my own SaaS company. My experience as a founder in the SaaS space taught me how to apply UX research within the realities of business. I learned to balance best practices with the practical demands of building scalable products and driving growth. This journey has shaped me into a UX researcher with strong business acumen, bridging user insights with strategic decision-making in dynamic environments.When we collaborate, I support you in creating products that deeply resonate with users, driving lasting growth and reducing churn.

• contact me

How it all started
My journey started in 2014 with five years in project management at Microsoft and XING, where I built up my skills in strategy, coordination, and execution.
Eager to dig deeper into what drives users, I shifted into UX research—spending three years at XING and Personio, and two years as a UX research consultant and founder of Juttu.

contact and pricing

You have a specific UXR need in mind, or you want to find out how you can take your UXR game to the next level.Book a 15 min. discovery call so we find out what you need and how to work together.

• Book a call

Or drop me a message if you're not fan of "quick chats".

pricing

I offer a range of packages designed to fit different goals—whether you need to empower your team with coaching, assess your current UX research processes, or have a professional handle research for you.Explore the options below to find the right fit, or reach out for a custom solution tailored to your specific needs.

• Pricing

• back

user need segmentation

In this case study, together with a UXR colleague, we led a UX research project to deepen our understanding of XING's B2C users, aiming to inform a product strategy aligned with their needs.We conducted 18 in-depth interviews exploring users' professional goals, event and group engagement on XING, and their overall experiences. Using the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework, we analyzed user motives and journeys, we captured key insights into their networking, learning, and job-seeking needs.Deliverables included a Miro board with user journeys, video highlights, and recommendations shared company-wide, which fostered empathy and informed strategic decisions on event and group integration.

This research-driven approach unified the organization’s understanding of user needs, providing a solid foundation for future product development.Here is the slide deck of this case study where I go deeper.

• back

Continuous discovery

In this case study, I led the transformation of our product team’s approach at XING to overcome delays in gathering user insights, which had frustrated both research and product teams.Drawing on Teresa Torres's Continuous Discovery framework, I implemented strategies like automated recruitment and weekly feedback sessions to provide the team with consistent, actionable user input.I introduced "Feedback Friday" sessions, enabling the product team to take ownership of user feedback discussions, which built empathy and deepened their understanding of user needs.Through over 30 sessions, we gained confidence, developed user-requested features, and aligned more closely with real user needs. This journey not only refined our product but also fostered a research-driven mindset across the team.Find below a walk through of this case study I recorded for a product leader who wanted to set it up for their team.

• back

Coaching Product Teams in UX Research

Helping product teams build confidence in UX ResearchAt Personio I worked closely with 7 product teams* to empower them with the skills and tools needed to conduct their own user research. From workshops to one-on-one coaching, I supported team members in mastering the art of prioritising assumptions, user interviews, usability testing, and actionable reporting.I enabled these teams to integrate user insights into their decision-making processes, reducing reliance on external researchers while improving their product outcomes.Here is how I made an impact:

*product lead, product manager, product designer and tech lead.

Overview:
1. Customised workshop and training sessions
2. One-on-One coaching
3. Research review and support
4. Tools and templates for scalibility
5. What teams said
🎁 Bonus - My templates and frameworks (free to use)

1. Customised workshop and training sessionsDesigned and delivered interactive workshops on creating a research roadmap, identifying riskiest assumptions and prioritising them, interview techniques, survey creation, and usability testing.
Hands-on activities like mock interviews and real-time feedback helped team members gain practical experience.Impact: Over 20 team members gained confidence to independently conduct user research sessions within their projects, and build their own research roadmap.

2. One-on-One coaching
Provided personalized guidance to team members, from planning research studies to synthesizing findings.
Ran mock interviews and usability tests to help team members refine their skills in a safe environment.
Impact: Team members felt empowered to make research-backed decisions without hesitation.

3. Research review & support
Reviewed and refined research plans, interview scripts, and reports to ensure methodological rigor and actionable insights.
Helped teams connect findings to business goals, creating alignment with stakeholders.Impact: Improved the quality and credibility of research outputs, which directly influenced product strategies.

4. Tools & templates for scalability
Introduced reusable tools, including research playbooks, interview scripts, and reporting templates.
Built a framework that allowed teams to approach research systematically and consistently.Impact: Teams saved time and effort while maintaining high-quality research standards.

5. What teams said

"Pauline provided guidance on survey creation by focussing me on my goals / what I and the team want to learn and what for. That helped come up with a set of questions that we could then cut down to the most important ones quickly. Your support gave me peace of mind in regards to using the survey efficiently to gain customer insights, and asking the questions in a useable way. "
— Group Product Manager, Personio"When we worked together, she helped me untangle the complexities of the topic and make a concrete research plan on a tight schedule. (...) She helped us interpret data accurately to make sure we don’t leap to a conclusion without further investigation. "
— Product Designer, Personio"You got all team triads together to define a research strategy & plan. This helped us take a step back in the everyday craziness and think through what we want to learn together in this half year and how. I feel very happy about your expertise here. Especially because many of us haven't worked with UXR before/ don't include UXR proactively in discovery projects. Thanks for proactively helping us train that muscle."
— Group Product Manager, Personio"I know that if I talk something through with Pauline, she’s going to provide great ideas and feedback that hasn’t yet been considered. I’m also always impressed when [Product Designer] and I are rambling through some idea and she is able to quickly synthesize, analyze, and provide feedback."
— Product Manager, Personio

^{🎁 Bonus - My approach in action:
Templates and frameworks I’ve used to empower product teams.
These resources are free to download. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your process, feel free to use them to support your team’s success.}

• back

founding juttu

Resources:

My journey from UX Researcher to founder has been transformative, where I applied user research principles beyond product design to building a business from the ground up.
At Juttu, I faced the realities of balancing user-centered design with business constraints.
Despite our efforts to iterate on the product, we ultimately had to make the tough decision to close down due to a lack of demand—teaching me the hard way that even the best products need the right market fit to succeed.
This experience has shaped how I approach UX research today, blending the best practices of UX research with the practical needs of growing a business.

1. Applying UX Research to business strategyTL;DR: I applied user insights across product and business strategy—from early discovery interviews and market/competition analysis to evaluating key metrics like CAC, growth, and retention.As a UX Researcher, I was used to gathering deep insights from users to shape products. When I became the founder of Juttu, I applied the same user-centered approach to the broader business strategy. I conducted market research, analyzed customer feedback, and used data to guide product decisions, just like I would in a typical research project.
However, as a founder, I learned that gathering user insights is just one piece of the puzzle. The real challenge is aligning those insights with business goals to create a product that not only resonates with users but also drives growth. This shift taught me the importance of balancing user needs with market demand and business viability.

2. Decisiveness and adaptability in both product and businessTL;DR: I had to make quicker, high-stakes decisions for both the product and the business. I balanced data-driven decisions with tough business calls, like ultimately closing Juttu due to insufficient market demand.As a UXR, I was accustomed to making decisions based on data, iterations, and user testing. When I transitioned to founding Juttu, I had to make quicker decisions, not just for the product but for the entire business. I had to move fast, whether it was pivoting the product based on user feedback or making critical business calls like whether to invest in marketing or product features first. I learned that agility and decisiveness are key in a startup environment, where timing can make or break your success.
The challenge was in knowing when to trust the data and when to make a tough decision for the greater good of the business, such as the eventual decision to close Juttu when it became clear that the market demand wasn’t strong enough.

3. UX Research vs. RealityTL;DR: I learned to combine user research with business operations like finances, customer acquisition, business development. This shift helped me to move faster in the fast-moving and unpredictable world of SaaS.In my role as founder, I developed a deeper understanding of business operations—finances, customer acquisition, growth strategies—while still keeping user research at the forefront of decision-making.
I learned to look at the business holistically, considering how user insights could drive both product design and strategic decisions. For instance, when we faced a bottleneck in customer acquisition, I used my research skills to gather insights from existing users and market data, which helped refine our value proposition. However, I also learned that understanding business metrics like lifetime value, retention rates, and customer acquisition cost were just as critical to success as user feedback.
This shift from purely UX research to business strategy allowed me to make more informed decisions, and ultimately shaped me into a UX researcher with product and business acumen—someone who understands not just the "what" and "why" of user needs, but also the "how" of building a sustainable business.

The closure of Juttu was one of the toughest decisions I’ve made, but it taught me invaluable lessons about applying UX research in the fast-moving and often unpredictable world of SaaS businesses.
It reinforced the importance of aligning user needs with market demands and balancing the ideal with the real-world business context. I learned how to navigate the tension between best practices and the realities of building a scalable product—skills I now bring to my work as a UX Researcher with business acumen, helping businesses grow by applying user insights while ensuring long-term sustainability.

🎁 From me to you 🎁

During my career I created (and used extensively) these resources to help product teams I worked with.These resources are free to download and designed to help you streamline your research efforts and unblock you (e.g: what research method to use, what should I research next, how to present my insights, how to write an interview guide)

pricing packages

How It works

• Contact me

In the zoneStepping out of your comfort zone is hard. Staying in it is easy—safe, but stagnant, like a circle that never grows. In 2023, I chose to step outside my comfort zone and build a startup.Life is full of moments that force us to challenge our comfort zones—starting a new job, navigating grief, or handling major life transitions. But some challenges are different. They’re the ones we choose deliberately, even when fear looms large.In these moments, you leap straight into the fear zone. From there, it’s up to you to keep moving—through the learning zone, where growth happens, and ultimately into a new comfort zone, reshaped by the experience.A year and a half ago, I took on one of those challenges. With two co-founders, I started a business called Juttu. We set out to help product managers in tech by automating user recruitment, making it easier for teams to talk to users regularly. It was an exhilarating journey that stretched me in ways I never expected.

What went wrongAt first, it felt like we were unstoppable. Our early prototype generated enthusiasm; people told us:
“If this existed, we’d use it and pay for it.”We were in the learning zone—an exciting space where we believed in our solution and learned from early feedback. It felt like we were on the right track.But as we transitioned from prototype to product, cracks began to show. Sales didn’t materialize. Despite countless pitches and iterations, decision-making in companies dragged on, often taking months. We worked harder and harder, convinced that the next iteration or outreach would be the breakthrough. But nothing changed.After a year and a half, we had only two paying customers.The problem we were solving—helping teams recruit users for feedback—existed, but it wasn’t urgent enough to drive action. The economic climate in 2024 only made things harder; improving processes through SaaS wasn’t a priority for most companies.Eventually, we faced a hard truth: no amount of passion or effort could make the market care about a problem it didn’t see as critical. We weren’t solving a big enough problem—or one that was pressing for enough people.

What I’d do differently next time
because there will be a next time!1. Validate urgency, not just the problem
It’s not enough to believe in a problem; the market must feel its urgency too.
One critical lesson I learned is how easy it is to get biased when you’re personally experiencing the problem. You become so convinced that your solution will make people’s lives better that you overlook whether the people who should buy actually share your conviction.The truth is, business is business. No matter how passionate you are, your conviction alone doesn’t make money. If the market doesn’t perceive the problem as urgent or worth solving, even the best solution will struggle to gain traction.2. Address sales as a core capability
One of the biggest gaps in our team was sales. We were passionate about the problem, but we didn’t have the skills or experience to consistently close deals and navigate long sales cycles.
This became a major barrier, as selling a product is just as important as building it.Next time, I’d prioritize externalizing or upskilling hard in sales from the start. Whether it’s hiring someone with proven sales expertise or partnering with sales professionals. I’d ensure this capability is strong and central to our efforts.3. Adapt to external factors
Timing matters. Economic conditions can shape priorities, and a good idea might not succeed if the environment isn’t right. In the future, I’ll factor external conditions into my planning and decision-making.4. Recognize when to pivot or stop
The hardest part of entrepreneurship (and life) is knowing when to let go. Set clear metrics and decision points earlier in the process to avoid prolonged uncertainty. It's hard, but once you remove the emotional weight to it, it can become fun.

Why this experience was worth every secondAs painful as it was to shut Juttu down, the journey was worth every second. It taught me resilience, self-trust, and the ability to make hard decisions under pressure.I learned that failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s a stepping stone toward it. The experience gave me confidence: I faced uncertainty, made bold choices, and emerged stronger.It also deepened my understanding of what makes a business thrive: timing, market fit, and customer urgency. These are insights I could only have gained by living through this experience, and they’ve set me up for whatever comes next.Most importantly, we shared this journey as a team of 3. We navigated the highs and lows together and learned from one another. What a ride.Finally, I learned that growth comes from stepping into the fear zone and stumbling through the learning zone.Each failure reshaped my comfort zone, making it bigger and stronger. This experience wasn’t an end; it was the beginning of something new.

ConclusionTo anyone out there struggling with failure: you’re not alone. Sometimes, letting go is the bravest thing you can do.Failure isn’t the end—it’s a part of the process. And with every step, growth is just around the corner.