Intuit: Uncovering insights around user trust and perceptions for an AI-powered sales tool
Role
Design Research Intern
VEP Team
Team
1 Design Research Intern
2 Senior Design Researchers
2 Product Designers
1 Design Manager
1 Product Manager
Timeline
10 Weeks
May 2025 - August 2025
Skills
User Research
Product Thinking
UX Strategy
Data Analysis
Tools
Figma
FigJam
Zoom
Google Slides
Google Docs
HeyMarvin
This past summer, I was a Design Research Intern on the Virtual Expert Platform (VEP) team at Intuit focusing on AI-Guided Selling. As the primary researcher on the AI-Guided Selling project, I explored how AI could better support Sellers (Account Managers & Business Development Representatives, or BDRs) in their daily workflow. The goal was to understand how to introduce new AI tools that feel trustworthy, helpful, and intuitive, especially in fast-paced sales environments where efficiency and credibility are critical.
TL:DR
In less than 10 weeks, I designed and executed a mixed-methods study (12 user interviews & concept evaluations, 2 contextual inquiries, workflow analysis, and desk research) to understand current Seller workflows, AI perceptions, and adoption barriers for an AI-powered sales tool.
I was recommended by Sales leadership to share my research insights with the Intuit AI Center of Excellence to inform informed foundational design principles for AI products across the organization.
Achievements
What I achieved in 10 weeks
Research that shaped company-wide AI principles My insights were presented to Sales and Product leadership, who recommended I share my insights with Intuit's AI Center of Excellence to define foundational design principles for AI products across the entire company.
Expanded understanding beyond the original scope I expanded the scope to include Customer Success Managers (CSMs) in the research, not just Account Manangers and BDRs. This decision generated platform-level insights across diverse user archetypes and revealed patterns we wouldn't have seen otherwise.
Delivered a complete qualitative study on an aggressive timeline In less than 10 weeks, I planned and executed a full qualitative research study including interviews, contextual inquiries, and concept evaluations. I managed all research coordination, from participant recruitment, scheduling, to communication, while synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations that directly informed design and sales enablement decisions.
Impact
How my research shaped product decisions
My findings directly informed three critical areas:
Design principles for AI at Intuit The insights generated from my research project were shared with the AI Center of Excellence at Intuit, to inform the foundational design principles of AI products across the organization.
Sales enablement strategies My research resulted in insights for the sales enablement team. The insights indicated that the Sellers needed hands-on training programs, leadership encouragement, and ongoing support mechanisms to drive natural adoption. We learned that sellers needed to see colleagues successfully using AI, not just hear about it in training slides.
Rollout and communication recommendations I recommended prioritizing clear internal communication around AI feature updates and changes. Sellers needed to understand not just what was changing, but why and how it would help them.
What this internship taught me about research
Get feedback before you think you're ready As a junior researcher, I initially wanted everything perfect before showing my work. I learned that research is collaborative, early feedback on research plans and interview guides caught blind spots, kept me aligned with goals, and made me a better researcher.
Trust isn't a feature, it's a foundation Users only adopt new technology when they trust it. All the AI tools means nothing if sellers don't believe it's reliable. This fundamentally changed how I think about building products.
Stay flexible Sometimes, research does not go exactly as planned. I had to expand my scope to include CSMs and pivot during interviews when participants mentioned unexpected insights. Staying flexible helped me complete my research project on time, even when things around me were changing.
Research only matters if it creates impact Insights are just words in a deck if they don't improve business outcomes or enhance user experience. The most rewarding part of this internship was seeing my research directly inform product changes, training programs, and company-wide AI principles. Good research drives measurable impact for both users and the business.
Key Learnings