User-centric design is a human-centered approach to product development that aims to create solutions tailored to users' needs, expectations, and perspectives. It involves creating a connection with users through constant interaction and gathering feedback to develop a solution in accordance. This approach is crucial for product researchers as it helps create products that serve the end user rather than providing them with tools they don't need. The design-thinking model, which consists of five stages - empathize, define problem, ask questions, prototype, test - provides a structured framework for implementing a user-centric approach in research processes. By prioritizing users and incorporating empathy into every step, companies like Contentful are able to build products that serve the customer's needs, as exemplified by their core value of starting with the customer and working backwards.