Aptitude Research is a leading human capital management (HCM) research and advisory firm based in Boston. Our in-depth research and vendor assessments help HR leaders develop a deep understanding of the HCM technology landscape, including talent acquisition and engagement, to ultimately make better purchase decisions.
Welcome to a new conversation in HR Technology. One that moves beyond features and functions to help organizations ask better questions about their strategy, processes and technology.
Aptitude Research is built on deep knowledge and experience. We use our expertise to inspire a future-forward workplace, and we are continually evolving based on the latest research into HCM practices and technologies. We analyze the facts and put the data into context, providing actionable insights to companies, technology providers and investors.
Our approach is both dynamic and forward-thinking. Founded by leading HCM authority, Madeline Laurano, Aptitude Research harnesses years of experience to foster a new and transparent conversation about the role of technology in the workplace.
Our flagship research, The Aptitude Index, delivers a comprehensive look at talent acquisition trends and technology. This knowledge, combined with our consulting and advisory services, enables companies to save time, money and improve the recruiting, hiring and workforce management experience.
From where we sit, it has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the HCM conversation, and we are excited to partner with other pioneers ready to embrace this new world.
Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency.
Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, SHRM, IHRIM, HCI’s Strategic Talent Acquisition conference, Unleash, GDS International’s HCM Summit, and HRO Today.
In her spare time, she is a runner, an avid sports fan and juggles a house full of boys (where a spontaneous indoor hockey game is not unheard of!).
Kyle Lagunas is the Head of Strategy & Principal Analyst at Aptitude Research. He’s spent over a decade studying innovation cycles in HR and talent technology—with leadership roles in both the solution provider and practitioner space—and brings that breadth of experience and insight to his work advising vendors and practitioners on the ever-evolving world of talent. He’s a transformational talent leader, top industry analyst, and non-nonsense strategist with a reputation for bringing a fresh perspective to the table.
Before joining Aptitude, he served as the Head of Talent Attraction, Sourcing & Insight at
General Motors where he led the go-to-market functions of the company’s global talent
acquisition and played a pivotal role in transforming their recruiting strategies and processes. At Beamery, his role as Director of Strategy put him at the intersection of customer experience, sales and marketing, and product.
At Aptitude, Kyle brings together all aspects of his career to bridge the ever-growing gap
between talent leaders, their stakeholders, and their solution providers to power more
meaningful outcomes.
Debbie Tuel has spent over 15 years in the Talent Acquisition Technology space. Since joining the recruitment marketing industry in its earliest stages, Debbie guided many of the country's most prominent enterprise organizations, such as GE, CVS Health, PwC, and American Express, to look beyond legacy job boards and adopt strategic recruiting tools and technologies that lead to deeper talent insights, efficient use of time and resources, and better hires. Her previous roles include Vice President of Client and Partner Strategy at Symphony Talent, Head of Technical Sales and Client Strategy at SmashFly, and Managing Director at CareerBuilder.com.
Before joining Aptitude Research, in partnership with Symphony Talent's customer community and industry peers, Debbie led The Joy Pipeline initiative, a call to action to provide exceptional hiring experiences that help people get back to work faster. In addition, as the Chief Strategy Officer, she continued to counsel recruiting teams in applying industry best practices and transforming how they recruit talent.
At Aptitude, Debbie leverages her experience working with the world's largest employers to guide enterprise software decisions and enable sales teams to better serve the talent acquisition industry.
Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency.
Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, SHRM, IHRIM, HCI’s Strategic Talent Acquisition conference, Unleash, GDS International’s HCM Summit, and HRO Today.
In her spare time, she is a runner, an avid sports fan and juggles a house full of boys (where a spontaneous indoor hockey game is not unheard of!).
Kyle Lagunas is the Head of Strategy & Principal Analyst at Aptitude Research. He’s spent over a decade studying innovation cycles in HR and talent technology—with leadership roles in both the solution provider and practitioner space—and brings that breadth of experience and insight to his work advising vendors and practitioners on the ever-evolving world of talent. He’s a transformational talent leader, top industry analyst, and non-nonsense strategist with a reputation for bringing a fresh perspective to the table.
Before joining Aptitude, he served as the Head of Talent Attraction, Sourcing & Insight at
General Motors where he led the go-to-market functions of the company’s global talent
acquisition and played a pivotal role in transforming their recruiting strategies and processes. At Beamery, his role as Director of Strategy put him at the intersection of customer experience, sales and marketing, and product.
At Aptitude, Kyle brings together all aspects of his career to bridge the ever-growing gap
between talent leaders, their stakeholders, and their solution providers to power more
meaningful outcomes.
Debbie Tuel has spent over 15 years in the Talent Acquisition Technology space. Since joining the recruitment marketing industry in its earliest stages, Debbie guided many of the country's most prominent enterprise organizations, such as GE, CVS Health, PwC, and American Express, to look beyond legacy job boards and adopt strategic recruiting tools and technologies that lead to deeper talent insights, efficient use of time and resources, and better hires. Her previous roles include Vice President of Client and Partner Strategy at Symphony Talent, Head of Technical Sales and Client Strategy at SmashFly, and Managing Director at CareerBuilder.com.
Before joining Aptitude Research, in partnership with Symphony Talent's customer community and industry peers, Debbie led The Joy Pipeline initiative, a call to action to provide exceptional hiring experiences that help people get back to work faster. In addition, as the Chief Strategy Officer, she continued to counsel recruiting teams in applying industry best practices and transforming how they recruit talent.
At Aptitude, Debbie leverages her experience working with the world's largest employers to guide enterprise software decisions and enable sales teams to better serve the talent acquisition industry.
Madeline Laurano and Aptitude Research’s data is frequently quoted in the press, featured in podcasts and webcasts. Read, watch or listen to explore more.
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We are happy to provide quotes, perspectives or guest bylines. We allow for the reference of our research or charts with the proper attribution. Email madeline@aptituderp.com with “Press Request” in the subject line to schedule an interview, request a quote or discuss a contributed article.
