Valid Paths builds continuous customer learning programs.
Who it's for
Product teams who want exposure to users more often, but don't know how to make it happen.
What's a customer learning program?
A repeatable system for finding the right people, asking them the right questions, and getting what you learn back to your team before each release.
How it works
We build it with you. Then your team runs it.
01
Design
We turn your learning goals into a practical operating model: cadence, workflow, and how you'll measure success.
02
Build together
We set up recruiting, screening, scheduling, and tracking side by side with your team, using the tools you already have.
03
Train and hand off
Playbooks, templates, and hands-on training so your team can run the program on their own.
What you walk away with
A working program, a trained team, and the playbook to keep it going.
Every engagement ends with materials your team owns: a program playbook, ready-to-use templates like participant screeners, and a calendar that sets your learning cadence.
Template
Participant screener
1. How often do you use the product?
2. What best describes your role?
Program calendar
Quarterly cadence
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Recruit
Study
Share
Program playbook
Your Customer Learning Program
Prepared for your team
Programs we build
Three ways to stay close to your target audience.
Beta testing programs
Find qualified people in your target audience and create a reliable cycle for early product feedback.
Customer panels
Build an engaged group of customers you can return to for focused, ongoing input.
Churn interviews
Ask your churned users the right questions, then turn their responses into clear next steps for your team.
SERVICES
Pick the level of support your team needs.
Program design
We translate your learning goals into an operating model, cadence, workflow, and measurement plan.
Typical timeline: Flexible
Team enablement
We create playbooks, templates, and hands-on training so your team can operate the program independently.
Typical timeline: 2-4 weeks
Or, have us run it
Managed operations
Need extra hands? We can run your program for you: recruiting, screening, scheduling, communications, tracking, and continuous improvement.
Ongoing, 3 month minimum
Trusted by teams at
About us
Operations and craft, in one team.
Customer learning programs usually stall for one of two reasons: the operations can't keep up, or the findings aren't trusted. Kate brings the operations and project management that keep a program running. Julia brings the craft that makes its findings worth acting on.
Kate Hanenberg, PMP
Co-founder
Background in market research, product research, and research operations, with PMP certification. Known for turning ambiguous asks into scoped, staffed, and shipped research, and for making every stakeholder feel in the loop, not in the way.
LinkedInJulia Cowing, MA
Co-founder
Deep experience helping product development teams answer their highest-risk questions through lean user research. Brings the research craft that earns trust: method selection, instrument design, moderation, and synthesis.
LinkedInBuild a continuous customer learning program that works.
Tell us what you need to learn and how your team ships. We'll share our recommendations to get you where you're going.
30 minutes. No cost. No sales pitch.