Anika Gangal – Research Hero
Anika Gangal, UX Research Manager, Entropik Technologies
With a background spanning Entropik and Kantar, Anika is passionate about integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance user experiences. Over five years, she has used emotion AI, generative AI and eye-tracking, delivering actionable insights for diverse clients. By blending qualitative and quantitative methods, Anika delves deep into consumer behaviour and preferences, refining digital interactions by highlighting pain-points to exceed expectations. Her work helps clients across industries to make strategic decisions that drive success, ensuring unparalleled consumer satisfaction and optimised experiences. Anika’s commitment lies in harnessing technology to elevate user interactions, shaping a future where innovation meets user-centric excellence.
Anika was nominated because her "passion extends beyond her own work. She actively mentors young researchers, instilling in them the importance of meticulous detail and the power of technology in the research process. Anika’s dedication to research excellence and her commitment to fostering the next generation of researchers make her a true ‘unsung hero’ deserving of recognition."
What is the biggest challenge you have faced during your career?
I was an advocate for consumer insights within a 10+ person product team for a fintech super-app, I faced the challenge of effectively conveying user behaviour without an in-house researcher. My goal wasn't just to deliver findings, but to translate them into actionable insights. This meant creating a clear, prioritised roadmap for the product team.
By crafting a compelling narrative from the research, I ensured the team grasped the user experience. This helped them identify high-impact improvements to eliminate pain points and amplify moments of delight for their users. In essence, I turned research into a strategic tool for optimising the user journey.
What will be the next big trend or development in the research industry, and why?
The next significant trend appears to be multimodal data integration, where textual data is combined with visual (such as eye-tracking and facial expressions) and audio (like sentiment analysis) inputs for a comprehensive understanding of consumer experiences. Additionally, the adoption of augmented reality and virtual reality technologies could enhance research by providing immersive, simulated environments, potentially transforming conventional methods and enriching insights into consumer behaviour and preferences.
Who inspires you as a researcher?
My career path in research has been fuelled by the passion of inspiring individuals. Ritanbara Mundrey at Nestle first sparked my interest in the field. Sandeep Dutta from Kantar instilled a research perspective I strive to embody daily. And Jayesh Menon at Entropik has continually challenged me to push the boundaries of my thinking. These research leaders have played a pivotal role in shaping my approach to research and my dedication to tackling complex business problems.
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