Project Context

Meta's Instagram Reels team is preparing a Q3 launch of a redesigned creator onboarding flow intended to improve first-week creator activation. You are the lead User Experience Researcher supporting a 12-person cross-functional team: 4 product managers, 4 engineers, 2 designers, 1 data scientist, and you. The team has completed foundational and evaluative research, but the launch decision is blocked because different audiences are interpreting the findings differently.

Key Stakeholders

Engineering wants precise usability defects and severity rankings so they can finalize scope for the next 6-week sprint cycle. The VP of Product for Instagram wants a concise recommendation on whether to launch globally, launch to a subset of markets, or delay. Design wants to preserve the new onboarding concept, while Legal and Integrity want stronger evidence that the flow does not create misleading expectations for teen creators.

Constraints

You have 10 business days before the launch readiness review, a remaining research operations budget of $18,000, and no additional headcount. The current evidence includes 18 moderated interviews across 3 markets, a diary study with 24 creators, and usability testing on 2 Figma prototypes. Engineering can only implement 5 medium-sized changes before code freeze. Translation support is available for only 2 additional markets if you recommend further validation.

Complications

1. The engineering lead says the current readout is too narrative and lacks actionable prioritization.
2. The VP of Product says the current deck is too detailed and does not clearly state a launch recommendation.
3. A policy partner raised a late concern that one onboarding prompt may be interpreted differently by teen creators in Brazil.

Deliverables

1. Create a 10-day execution plan for tailoring and delivering research communication to engineers, executives, and cross-functional partners.
2. Define what you would present in separate readouts for engineers versus executives, including format, level of detail, and decision framing.
3. Recommend a launch path for Instagram Reels creator onboarding: global launch, phased launch, or delay.
4. Identify the top risks to launch and how you would mitigate them before the readiness review.
5. Specify success criteria for the communication plan and the launch decision process.