UserTesting, the leading provider of customer insights for the enterprise, today announced the winners of the 2026 illumi Awards. Winners will be celebrated at Crafted at Victory Hall in Seattle on Thursday, May 28 and at Exhibition White City in London on Thursday, September 17.
Now in its eighth year, the illumi Awards recognize organizations that are combining human insight with modern ways of building to transform how decisions are made. These companies are setting a new standard for innovation, growth, and customer experience.
The 2026 winners represent global excellence across industries and markets.
2026 Illumi Award Winners
Human Insight to Action Award — Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong
Informed decisions, design optimization, and coordinated campaign initiatives drove a significant uplift in Cathay Holidays bookings and Cathay membership engagement. Insights across two critical customer journeys revealed that the challenge was not demand, but clarity. Within two weeks, the team aligned stakeholders, enhanced the experience, and delivered measurable improvements at scale.
Innovation Catalyst Award — Microsoft | Redmond, WA
One researcher built an agentic, research-guided workflow that launches usability studies in minutes, not days. The UX Research team shifted from reacting to requests to proactively leading design improvements, helping design teams keep pace with AI-driven product development.
Synergy Excellence Award — Co-operative Bank | Manchester, UK
A small UX Research team trained 20 colleagues from the wider UX team, HR and the business readiness teams to run their own research. The result: 601% increase in category page visits, 168% engagement uplift, and faster, more confident decision-making across the organization.
Customer Evangelist Award — Allianz | Munich, Germany
UX Research grew from a single researcher to a 100-person research network running 1,000+ studies annually. Customer understanding became embedded across the organization, reducing risk and improving outcomes at scale.
Enterprise Impact Award — American Airlines | Fort Worth, TX
3,500+ customer interactions tested across 9+ journeys turned a measurement program into a transformation engine. Experience scores rose 14.7% and now inform every major product decision.
Emerging Innovator Award — Grubhub | Chicago, IL
A 48-hour feedback loop during a high-profile advertising campaign uncovered critical comprehension gaps. Insights flowed directly into product and creative teams, protecting conversion at peak exposure.
Global Excellence Award — Bayer CropScience | Basel, Switzerland
A UserTesting panel revealed an entirely new customer segment, leading to repositioned digital solutions and revenue exceeding expectations by 7%.
Transformation Award — Sage | Newcastle, UK
Three prototypes tested in one week led to a 35% increase in transactions and 78% growth on mobile. The approach is now the blueprint for every major redesign.
Digital Innovator Award — Royal Caribbean | Miami, FL
A new Digital Insights team scaled research usage 10x in one year. App NPS rose 15 points, engagement increased 26%, and conversion improved by nearly a full percentage point.
Creative Excellence Award — Ferrero | Senningerberg, Luxembourg
300+ SKUs optimized through consumer-tested content. The result: 13–15% sales uplift and a 20% improvement in conversion, driven by a standardized content quality framework.
Mission Impact Award — KQED | San Francisco, CA
KQED’s public media app went from a low 3-star rating to 4.9 stars. Installs increased 66%, repeat usage reached 88%, and live radio streams grew 600%.
Human-in-the-Loop AI Excellence Award — CarMax | Richmond, VA
The first U.S. auto retailer in the ChatGPT App Store tested its AI experience with real customers before launch. One key insight reshaped its AI strategy and now governs every customer interaction.
Distinguished Luminaries: Freedom Mortgage, AT&T, Affirm, Iberia, Realtor.com, Virgin Money, Currys, Alaska Airlines, Sky, AJ Bell, Frost Bank, Definity, Edmunds, Panera, and Superdrug.
These organizations submitted standout applications that demonstrated meaningful business impact, strong execution, and a clear commitment to putting the customer at the center of how they build and operate, earning special recognition from the illumi judging panel.
“Behind every one of these awards is a team of builders and creators committed to getting closer to their customers and bringing that perspective into every decision,” said Eric Johnson, CEO of UserTesting. “Teams are building faster than ever, and the advantage goes to those who build fast and build right. The companies leading the way keep the customer at the center and use human insight to guide how they operate, innovate, and grow. We’re proud to recognize twenty-seven organizations this year, and even prouder of the impact they’re delivering.”
To learn more about the illumi Awards and explore the stories behind the winners, visit here.
About UserTesting
UserTesting is the leading customer insights solution, enabling organizations to make confident decisions by understanding how real people experience their products, services, and ideas. The company’s AI-powered platform provides on-demand access to diverse perspectives through a global participant network and flexible recruitment options. UserTesting delivers end-to-end capabilities from participant recruitment through AI-driven insight generation, helping design, product, marketing and research teams make better, smarter decisions, improve stakeholder alignment, and drive measurable business outcomes. Learn more at www.usertesting.com.
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