Customer research for product teams who need to know before they commit. Moving teams from "we think" to "we know."
Embedded research partner Flexible retainer Built around your team's rhythm
The real cost of moving without evidence
You're asked to commit — build it, launch it, invest in it. But the information you're deciding on is incomplete, assumed, or outdated.
Fast decisions become permanent foundations. By the time you notice the mistake, the cost to fix it is ten times what it would have been.
Research doesn't promise certainty — that's not what it's for. It reduces uncertainty. Enough to catch the costly mistake before it ships. Enough to move forward with evidence instead of instinct. That's the only goal.
How we work
Whether you're about to make a major call, trying to understand what's breaking, building the capability to keep knowing, or navigating what AI means for your users — we meet you where you are.
Before you sign off on a roadmap, a product, or a significant investment — get clarity on whether you're solving the right problem. We build the evidence so you can move with confidence, not assumptions.
"Are we solving the right problem — or just the loudest one in the room?"
AI is improving fast. But the gap between what it can do and what people actually do with it is where value gets made or lost. We study real-world AI interactions: where it works, where distrust builds friction, and why people adopt some tools while quietly working around others.
We also answer the harder question: where should AI be applied — and where does human judgment still belong? Not every decision gets delegated to a model. Research tells you which ones do.
"Do we actually know which decisions should go to AI — and which ones still need a human to connect the dots?"
Numbers are down, customers are leaving, or the product isn't landing — but your team can't agree on why. We go directly to the source and bring back a clear picture of what's happening and where to focus.
"Do we know why customers are leaving — or are we still guessing?"
For leaders who want to stop making decisions in the dark — permanently. We embed customer intelligence into how your team thinks, plans, and prioritizes, so every initiative starts with evidence.
"Is your team making decisions based on evidence — or on instinct and seniority?"
Not sure which fits your situation? Tell us about your needs →
Selected work

The team had written off an 87% exit rate as unavoidable compliance friction. It wasn't — and the real reasons had nothing to do with compliance.

17% adoption on a tool built specifically for the people using it every day. Leadership was already weighing a full rebuild. Before they did, someone finally asked the stylists what was actually missing.

Behavioral data found what no one was looking for — a missing return path. One nav change. Bookings within a week.

Users came looking for style inspiration and left overwhelmed. A diary study revealed the tension between browsing and deciding — and what it actually takes to bridge the two.

Loyalty discounts were hitting checkout for the first time. Testing with staff on live transactions — before a single customer touched it — found exactly what would have broken it on day one.

Users were logging in, checking their numbers, and leaving more uncertain than before. The same frustration surfaced in annual surveys year after year — until someone asked why.

A 30-course seasonal Kaiseki ceremony listed as "breakfast included." When travelers from three countries explained what they saw, the gap between experience and expectation turned out to be far bigger than a translation problem.

Members had 14-day exclusive access to their favourite brands. Most never used it. Diary studies and in-store tag-alongs revealed why — and it had nothing to do with the perk itself.

A global real estate org was solving the right problem — but only half of it. Discovery interviews across four business functions surfaced a foundational need nobody had put on the roadmap.

Fast-moving teams don't always have time for full research cycles. A two-hour workshop was enough to show how far the team's assumptions were from what families and couples actually wanted.

Nearly 100 open research questions and no shared way to prioritize them. What started as a personal problem turned out to be a structural one — and the fix was simpler than anyone expected.

17 users. Five roles. 200+ individual jobs mapped. What the team thought was a validated roadmap turned out to be missing something none of the five roles had ever said out loud.
About the Founder
I'm Archie (Archana) — the founder and lead researcher at Before You Build. For over 12 years, I've embedded inside the product teams shaping how millions of people shop, travel, invest, and live — at organizations including Amazon, Booking.com, Nordstrom, XPO Logistics, WealthBar, and Credential Financial.
From early-stage startups to global enterprise, I've sat in the room where the hard product decisions get made — across retail, financial services, logistics, travel, and enterprise technology. I understand the pressures leaders face, and what it takes to make evidence actually land with a room full of stakeholders who all have different agendas.
That's why I started Before You Build. I work as an embedded research partner on a flexible retainer — typically a 3-month minimum — so teams get senior research capacity without adding headcount. I don't just run research — I translate what your customers are telling you into clarity that moves leadership to act. That track record includes a 3× lift in platform adoption, a 66% reduction in onboarding drop-off, and research that directly shaped build decisions at Amazon, Nordstrom, and Booking.com. Every engagement is led by me directly — not a junior team running a template.
"The best business decisions aren't just smart — they're backed. I help leaders build that backing before it's too late to use it."
What others say
Archie was instrumental in guiding us through both strategic and tactical research — from initial discovery to product-market fit. Her insights shaped key decisions, including a customer journey map that became a crucial tool for driving alignment. Thanks to her work, we built a solid roadmap, streamlined our MVP, and ensured a strong user experience.
I saw Archie repeatedly lead project teams through complex problem spaces — not only uncovering critical insights that greatly improve the end user experience, but also unifying a diverse set of stakeholders who came in with very different visions and goals for the end product. She continually brings enthusiasm and an uncanny ability to tell the story in compelling ways.
Archana clearly understands that UX is a team sport. While working together, she successfully led product research and discovery over a full suite of enterprise products. She's hard working, persevering, has great communication skills, and excels when it comes to leading, planning, and executing user research.
Start the conversation
Share a bit of context about what you're working on — the decision you're facing, what's at stake, and what's driving the pressure. Archie reviews every inquiry personally and follows up within 1–2 business days.
If it looks like a good fit, she'll reach out with a link to schedule a conversation.
No pitch decks. No commitment. Just an honest first conversation.
Archie will review your message and follow up personally — usually within 1–2 business days.
Thanks for reaching out. Archie will review your message and follow up personally within 1–2 business days.