AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, 12 November 2025 – Sara Fortier, Canadian UX staffing CEO, design educator, and Silicon Valley veteran, has released her highly anticipated book, “Design Research Mastery: How to Lead Research That Builds Buy-in and Great Products,” in partnership with Netherlands’ BIS Publishers. This global release marks a significant milestone in the field of design research, offering valuable insights and practical tools for intermediate-to-senior UX practitioners and learners.
The book addresses the growing concerns within the industry that roles in product design, service design, and user experience are at risk due to the rise of artificial intelligence and industry downsizing. However, Fortier presents a different perspective, stating that human-centered design is not disappearing, but evolving. She emphasizes the importance of building stakeholder buy-in and trust, developing actionable insights, strategic design storytelling, and end-to-end research project ownership. These skills, she believes, will play a crucial role in driving digital growth across public and private sectors, including fintech, healthcare, and SaaS.
Fortier’s book comes at a critical time as the UK Government looks to strengthen its £100 billion design sector, and the European Union reforms its design protection laws for the new AI era. Fortier hopes that her book will help the design community align their work with business goals and earn buy-in for user research that leads to meaningful improvements in products and services, as well as ROI for clients.
Drawing from her own experiences as a design strategist in Silicon Valley and as the CEO of Outwitly Inc., a UX talent and training partner, Fortier shares practical frameworks, templates, and tools that she developed for her own consulting projects. She also includes real-life examples and anecdotes from her career journey, from a design consulting “solo-preneur” to a UX talent CEO. Fortier aims to share these tools and insights with the wider industry and emerging professionals from post-secondary and master’s programs. Several design professors in the EU have already requested exam copies of the book, showing a strong interest in guiding future graduates towards impactful and long-lasting careers in the field.
Fortier, who holds a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Design and has served as a Sessional Instructor at Carleton University’s School of Industrial Design in Canada, hopes to continue bridging the gap between overseas UX and UXR practitioners through the North American launch of her book in April 2026. Her media appearances on popular podcasts, such as This is HCD and Insights Unlocked, have already generated buzz and anticipation for the book’s release.
In a statement, Fortier says, “Every shift in technology is an invitation for design research to rise. When we examine our own thinking, stay open to change, and act with purpose, we expand what our teams – and our discipline – can achieve.”
The book is now available for purchase on Amazon, the BIS bookstore, and other participating EU/UK retailers. For those interested in upskilling their teams, further information about the book and the author can be found at designresearchmastery.com. Sara is also available for interviews and additional comments upon request.
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