ux research career

UX Researcher

• Certifications
• Related Topics

What Is a UX Researcher? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

UX researchers are responsible for studying and understanding what users of a system or product need and want. UX researchers use their findings to improve the design of goods, software and services. Here’s what to know about a UX researcher’s salary, needed skills and how to become one.

What Is a UX Researcher?

UX researchers study user behavior to answer important questions about how digital products and services are designed and how customers interact with them. The goal of a UX researcher is to improve a product or service through their findings. Some of the key insights UX researchers must uncover about users include their demographic information, how they use a product, what they get from a product and what issues they may have with the product. 

What Do UX Researchers Do?

UX researchers are tasked with learning what motivations, needs and behaviors users have when interacting with a product or service. The two main types of UX research are quantitative and qualitative. The goal of quantitative research is to identify the experience of a user by looking at data, such as click-through rates on landing pages, for example. The goal of qualitative research is to understand why users behave the way they do, and for this, UX researchers rely on field studies, moderated usability tests and user interviews.

UX Researcher Responsibilities

• Design, organize and implement user research projects, including A/B tests, field studies, user surveys, user interviews and usability tests.
• Analyze and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research to create and report findings.
• Present findings to designers, developers, leadership and stakeholders. 
• Collaborate with product and design teams and provide actionable feedback. 

Day-to-Day Responsibilities of UX Researchers

• Craft user research plans.
• Develop budgets and timelines for research projects. 
• Recruit targeted users.
• Conduct user interviews. 
• Create user surveys. 
• Organize usability tests.
• Conduct field studies.
• Analyze results from interviews and surveys. 

UX Researchers Within a Company

UX researchers are typically part of the product development team within a company. They often collaborate with leaders on the product team and design to create research plans, analyze results and data from surveys and questionnaires and make product recommendations. 

Importance of UX Researchers

UX researchers help companies understand the needs and wants of their customers as they approach the product or service. Without thoughtful UX researchers, companies will overlook the most important part of the design process: empathy. 

What Skills Are Needed to Be a UX Researcher?

Qualifications to be a ux researcher.

• Experience designing and executing user research.
• Knowledge of UX design principles.
• Strong understanding of statistics and data.
• Experience with user research tools and software.

UX Researcher Prerequisites

• UX researchers usually hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology, statistics, human-computer interaction, information systems or a related field. 
• A portfolio of previous user research projects. 

UX Researcher Hard Skills

• Data analysis.
• Math and statistics.
• UX research methods and software tools. 
• User testing. 
• Basic design skills.

UX Researcher Soft Skills

• Empathy and curiosity.
• Interpersonal communication and writing skills.
• Problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Collaboration and teamwork skills.

Tools and Programs UX Researcher Use

• Google Forms 
• Google Optimize
• Optimal Workshop

How to Become a UX Researcher

Ux researcher education and experience.

UX researchers can come from a variety of different backgrounds; there isn’t one set degree that is necessarily best for UX research. Studying technology or behavioral and social sciences can all be relevant to UX research, as an understanding of tech and how humans interact with it is central to the role.

Outside of education, volunteering to run UX research projects for local businesses and non-profit organizations, as well as participating in hackathons, may be helpful experience in developing a UX research portfolio.

• UX Researcher Certificates and Courses
• UX Bootcamps to Know
• Google UX Design Professional Certificate
• General Assembly UX Design Immersive
• Northwestern UX/UI Boot Camp

UX Researcher Career Path

Although UX researchers can come from many different educational backgrounds, starting a UX research career with an internship is a great first step in the field. UX researchers may later take on roles such as UX designer or UX engineer.

UX Researcher Salary and Job Outlook

UX research is a growing field, with 41 percent of researchers only having five years of experience in the field. But the size of UX researcher teams is expected to grow too. Of UX researchers surveyed by User Interviews , 71 percent said there are five or more researchers on their team.

The full compensation package for a UX researcher depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average UX researcher salary.

Expand Your UX Researcher Career Opportunities

Build a multi-dimensional skillset by completing online UX and design courses through Udemy.

Are you interested in UX Design, but have no prior experience or an idea of where to start? You’ve come to the right place!

UPDATE (03/01/2016) : New Section!

• Just added a new section where we go over the most modern design and prototyping tools.
• We discuss design tools like Sketch 3, Photoshop, and Illustrator, so you can…

Your product won't be easy to use on accident.  The only way to deliver products and services that delight users is to  listen to them . If you want to learn how to do that, then this is the course for you.

2023 Edition.

You've just landed on Udemy's highest rated course on user experience (UX). Thousands of user researchers and designers have used this course to kick-start their career in UX. You can do it, too.

UX Researcher Certifications + Programs

Reignite your journey up the career ladder with Udacity’s online UX and design certifications.

General Assembly’s User Experience Design Immersive is a transformative course designed for you to get the necessary skills for a UX Design role in three months. 

The User Experience Design bootcamp is led by instructors who are expert practitioners in their field, supported by career coaches that work with you since day one and enhanced by a career services team that is constantly in talks with employers about their UX Design hiring needs.

What you'll accomplish

As a graduate, you’ll have a portfolio of projects that show your creative and technical ability to launch the next generation of successful apps, websites and digital experiences. Throughout this program, you will:

Identify and implement the most effective methods of user research to gain a deeper understanding of what users want and need.

Use interaction and visual design techniques to craft a dynamic digital product that brings delight and function to users.

Conduct usability testing to make product experiences more accessible for diverse user populations and environments.

Learn best practices for working within a product team, employing product management techniques and evaluating technical constraints to better collaborate with developers.

Produce polished design documentation, including wireframes and prototypes, to articulate design decisions to clients and stakeholders.

Prepare for the world of work, compiling a professional-grade portfolio of solo, group, and client projects.

Prerequisites

This is a beginner-friendly program with no prerequisites, although many students are familiar with common tools for graphic and web designers and some may have had exposure to UX concepts in the past. The General Assembly curriculum helps you gain fluency in end-to-end UX processes, tools, and documentation and put them to work on the path to a new career as a User Experience Designer.

Why General Assembly

Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time & part time courses. During the 2020 hiring shutdown, GA's students, instructors, and career coaches never lost focus, and the KPMG-validated numbers in their Outcomes report reflect it. *For students who graduated in 2020 — the peak of the pandemic — 74.4% of those who participated in GA's full-time Career Services program landed jobs within six months of graduation.  General Assembly is proud of their grads + teams' relentless dedication and to see those numbers rising. Download the report here .

Your next step? Submit an application to talk to the General Assembly Admissions team

Note: reviews are referenced from Career Karma - https://careerkarma.com/schools/general-assembly

Careers Related to UX Researcher

Latest ux and design jobs, companies hiring ux researchers, most common skills for ux researcher, related design careers.

Why UX Research Might Be the Perfect Career for You—and How to Get Started

I never thought I’d become a user experience (UX) researcher when I was in college—in large part because I didn’t even know the role existed! I happily stumbled upon the role while working at an eight-person startup where I had many responsibilities, including translating user needs into design thinking and recommendations to improve our product.

Luckily, UX researchers come from many different backgrounds. If you’re innately curious, enjoy getting to know and understand others, and have an eye for design improvements and a knack for product thinking, this could be the job for you.

Keep reading to find out more about what a UX research is and does and how you can make your way into the role.

Search for UX research roles on The Muse here

What Is a UX Researcher?

A UX researcher’s job is to understand people and uncover insights about a user group to inform and improve a product, its overall design, and the user's experience with it. For example, let’s say you’re gearing up for a relaxing evening with your favorite Netflix show. Understanding all of the steps that go into the process of finding a show you like, hitting play, and maybe even binge-watching the whole series in a night could have been the perfect project for a user researcher.

A researcher might want to explore what kind of mood you’re in when you fire up Netflix and how easy it is for you to find the right show to match your mood. They might want to understand whether you find it confusing to add subtitles if a film isn’t in your native language, or if you noticed, cared, or loved that the next episode was cued up for you as soon as you finished the first one. They might drill into specifics like whether a button or action on the site was confusing or explore topics as broad as what counts as entertainment vs. education in your point of view. (Is the Taylor Swift documentary both?! That depends!)

What Do UX Researchers Actually Do and What Kinds of Skills and Qualities Do They Need?

How do UX researchers tackle projects like the Netflix example? They need to:

Understand People

The goal of user researchers is to understand people in order to make products better, so researchers must work hard to get to know their research subjects, or participants. There are many ways to learn about a participant, but one of the most common is an in-depth interview, or IDI. IDIs require researchers to hone their interviewing and listening skills: to establish rapport with a complete stranger in just a few minutes; to know how to ask good questions; to listen for when a participant has more to say; to bring empathy, humility, and curiosity to the conversation; and to manage a discussion when it’s at risk of going off track.

Know and Choose the Right Methods

These conversations are meant to help answer research questions, but they’re not the only way to do it. In addition to IDIs, researchers can also get creative, using methodologies like surveys, card sorts, concept testing, field research, and more. Because there are so many ways to answer a question, researchers must learn how to identify the right tool for the job.

Be Familiar With Best Practices

UX researchers also need to develop an understanding of best practices in user flows and product design. For instance, a researcher knows that in a given user flow—say, the process to sign up for a new email account—it helps to give users a sense of where they are in the process and what comes next. Incorporating progress bars that show how far a user has made it and how much is left to go; allowing a user to save and exit part way through the process vs. losing everything they’ve done so far if they need to hit pause; or even keeping a sign-up flow short, to the point, and with clear guidance on why certain information is being asked for are all important considerations. These best practices can be learned formally (through classes) or experientially (on the job or through mentorship).

Influence Their Teams

Lastly, researchers must learn to influence their teams to incorporate their insights into the product. This is especially important since sometimes researchers are the bearers of bad news: A team may be very excited about a feature (say, voice activation), and a researcher may learn it’s simply not needed (or even confusing) and have to gently but convincingly influence the team to change their plans and abandon this feature. 

The most effective researchers influence by ensuring they are involved at the right time of a product’s development: If a researcher discovers a feature isn’t working after it’s been built, it will be much harder to convince a team to abandon it than if they share these insights before a project has been started. Having the right timeline for insights (not too early and not too late in the product development life cycle) goes a long way, as does the way this news is communicated. The best researchers know how to tell compelling stories that build empathy for users and convince teams to sacrifice things like speed to market for quality experiences.

How Do People Become UX Researchers?

There are many paths to becoming a UXR (an abbreviation we often use to describe our role). On every team I’ve been part of, the backgrounds have been very different. The part that ties it all together is a deep empathy for others and a curiosity to get to know them. Here are a few common paths people take:  

“Traditional” Majors for UX

The most traditional path into UX research is to study Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) or psychology in college, since these disciplines help build a foundational understanding of products and people. These degrees can help you get a foot in the door for opportunities like internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level research roles.

Other Humanities and Social Science Majors

Personally, I didn’t know HCI was a major until after college, and many researchers I know don’t have this background either. Other common backgrounds include the humanities and social sciences: I know researchers who were archaeology, art history, and even literature majors, like myself.

Though these degrees seem pretty different, the throughline is that each helps you to learn how to look closely at people and their way of being—whether through a physical site, a painting or author biography, or even a work of fiction—and understand how their needs drive their behaviors. This is a core skill for UX researchers, who apply this understanding to product strategy and design thinking.

Statistics Majors or Backgrounds

Quantitative UX researchers who work primarily in survey and behavioral data analysis typically come from stats backgrounds.

Bootcamps and Courses

Less traditional paths are absolutely possible. That could look like going to a bootcamp, though keep in mind that most bootcamps focus on design skills with a brief chapter on research, as opposed to prioritizing research. Still, a bootcamp can signal to a hiring manager that you’re serious about committing to a career in research. When I was breaking into research, I took a UX immersive class, and though it was far more design than research oriented, the manager who took a chance on me told me that was one of the line items on my resume that tipped him from maybe to yes.

Advanced Degrees and Academia

Others may be coming from academia and make their way into industry from a master’s or PhD program. Marcos Moldes, for example, started his career as a PhD in communications before pivoting into UX research. “When I was in grad school, I loved research. I loved the process of working through data to identify what mattered to people and why. I felt like I could apply a lot of those skills in the private sector and wanted a career that would be dynamic and fast-paced,” he says. “I love that every project brings its own sets of challenges and opportunities to better understand how people tick.” After graduating, he took some time off before landing a job in research consulting (thanks to a friend), and that eventually led him to an in-house research role at Pinterest.

Research-Adjacent Roles 

You can also make a pivot from “research-adjacent” roles, like customer support , product operations, design, product management , or other roles that require deep understanding of a user in order to improve a product. If, for instance, there’s a company you’re dying to work for as a UXR that isn’t hiring for entry-level positions in research but is hiring for a designer—and you have that experience—you could get your foot in the door and then transition from there with enough time, patience, and sponsorship in the company. Or maybe you started off genuinely thinking you wanted to pursue one of those adjacent roles but realized over time that UX research was a better fit.

OK, I Want In—What Do I Do Next?

If UX research is sounding like it might be a great fit for you, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Take an online research course to understand the basics of how research works. DesignLab has classes that even come with mentor sessions. (Full disclosure: I used to be one of those mentors.) You might also take a psychology class to learn about people (try Coursera) or listen to podcasts to learn how to be an effective interviewer. (Anna Sale is a master of the craft in her podcast Death, Sex, and Money .)

Build Your Portfolio

In the beginning, it may be difficult to get a paying gig. But you can still strengthen your skill set and begin to build a portfolio by taking on projects in your spare time. You’ll gain experience, confidence, and examples you can talk about when you’re networking and job searching.

For instance, audit a website or app you love—or one you hate—and write about the experience. How could the user experience be better? What would make the product easier to use? When I first started transitioning from academia to tech, I spent a lot of time auditing apps to develop my product and UX thinking. ( Here’s an example from the archives.)

You can also volunteer your time to help on a project. Is a friend launching a personal website? Perhaps you can help make sure the information architecture (how the website is set up to be navigated) is effective. Is your niece coding an app for a school project? Practice your research skills by being a “user tester” and helping make sure flows are complete. Does your local church, university, or community group have a website that could use updating? Volunteer to assess their current user experience and make recommendations on how to improve it.

Learn From the Experts

Find a mentor who can critique your work and be a sounding board as you develop your product thinking and research skills. DesignLab offers mentorship sessions as part of its UXR course, or you can reach out to UXRs on LinkedIn who might be available to critique your work (if you have a connection in common, you can ask for an intro).

Other ways of learning from the experts include shadowing researchers to understand their work more deeply. Sometimes, that might look like going into the lab to see researchers conducting sessions in action. But you can also “shadow” a researcher by reading what researchers are writing and how they talk about their work. For instance, the Facebook Research team has a trove of articles on how they conduct research. In addition, there are many guides to research online for you to peruse, such as the Google Ventures guide to research , which can help you learn best practices outside of a course setting. These are essential resources, especially for newcomers.

“When I first broke into UXR seven years ago, there really weren't a lot of formal academic programs for learning how to become a UXR,” says Brittney Reyes, now a Senior UX Researcher at Booking.com. “How I, and how many others, broke into it was by using our expertise from other fields and, truthfully, reading articles on the internet.”

Tap Into Your Network

When you’re ready, share your aspirations with others by posting on social media (especially LinkedIn) or telling friends and family that you’re interested in a career in research. You never know who might have a connection to a researcher and can provide a warm introduction for a future internship, job, mentorship, or shadowing session.

To make the switch from academia to UX research, “I had informational calls with friends, took courses, read books, and started networking in the community,” says Snigdha Diehl, now a senior UX researcher at HubSpot. “I was referred for my first job through another former neuroscience student who transitioned to UX design.”

Reyes also benefited from talking to people about her interests and aspirations. After attending a panel on wearable technology, an interest of hers, she reached out to one of the panelists and began a conversation that ultimately led to meeting a team and pitching a role as a UX researcher—and it worked! “The team ended up making a position for me,” she says.

Translate Your Story

Depending on your experience, it may not be obvious to recruiters or hiring managers that you have the skills it takes to succeed as a researcher. Remember that you know yourself best and are your biggest advocate, so take the time to clearly communicate what you’ve gained from courses, projects, and independent learning, as well as how other skills are transferable and what unique value you can bring to a team. This goes for your resumes , cover letters , interviews , and any networking conversations.

“I highlighted my expertise from both my academic and consulting backgrounds and tried to tailor my story around outcomes and achievements of individual projects,” Moldes says. Learn to speak the language of the team and role you seek, and highlight the applicable skills you have and your uniqueness. Your difference is an asset—honor it!

Learn as You Go

As you transition into the UXR field, remember that you don’t need to know everything to make your way in. Be prepared to learn on the job and remember that your energy and ambition are an asset. 

“The advice I always give to new or prospective UXRs I speak with is to always say ‘yes,’” Reyes says. “If someone asks if you can do something, just say yes, and if you don't know how then you can figure it out,” she says. “I really made it a point to push myself to take on projects that I didn't necessarily have the skills for in an effort to push myself out of my comfort zone and to gain experience in new areas,” Reyes says. And don’t forget that you can turn to peers and mentors to ask for help when you need it, even once you have a UX research job!

How to become a UX researcher (and what UX researchers actually do)

The UX design process usually begins with the UX researcher. Find out what the job entails and learn valuable advice on how to become a UX researcher.

Build completely custom, production-ready websites — or ultra-high-fidelity prototypes — without writing a line of code. Only with Webflow.

Successful user satisfaction relies on the skills and expertise of capable UX researchers.

If you’ve ever wondered about a career that combines detective work, problem-solving, and a passion for improving user experiences, then working as a user experience (UX) researcher might be the path for you. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to become a UX researcher, the ins and outs of the role, and the skills and knowledge required to excel in this field.

What is a UX researcher?

A UX researcher shapes user experiences by meticulously gathering and analyzing user data. Picture them as the detectives of the user experience realm, searching for clues and reviewing evidence to understand user needs and preferences.

Through research methods like surveys, interviews, and usability tests, they delve into users’ psyches to extract actionable insights. This information is invaluable and informs the UX design process by bridging the gap between user expectations and product functionality. By grounding design decisions in evidence and research, UX researchers ensure that end products resonate with users, leading to more intuitive and satisfying user experiences.

What makes a good UX researcher?

UX researchers are integral to creating user-friendly products that fulfill consumer desires and exceed expectations. To succeed in the role, these professionals must possess particular traits and skills. Here are some essential qualities required for the position.

Attention to detail

Successful UX researchers must have a keen eye for detail to analyze and interpret data accurately and thoroughly and draw meaningful conclusions. Attention to detail is particularly important during testing phases, when even the most minor details and patterns could impact user satisfaction.

For example, UX researchers should be able to spot visual issues in processes like kerning — or adjusting the spacing between individual letters to create a more visually appealing result. These focused observations guide design improvements and ensure the end product is user-friendly and intuitive.

Assertive listening and communication

Listening actively and assertively is crucial for your work as a UX researcher. Beyond being generally helpful in the workplace, strong communication skills specifically support the multiple steps in the UX research process.

Asking the right questions during interviews and surveys and listening for and understanding users’ needs and desires — even when unspoken — are key. For instance, if a participant expresses difficulty with a feature during usability testing, assertive listening helps the researcher notice their struggle and probe further.

Effective communication also enables you to convey your findings to the design and management teams clearly and concisely.

Analytical and critical thinking

UX research often involves complex datasets, so a highly analytical mindset will be beneficial. You’ll need to evaluate data, spot trends, and identify pain points in the user journey. A critical mindset will help you question assumptions and challenge established ideas.

Creativity is also important, as researchers must be able to think outside the box to design research studies that provide valuable insights. For example, when examining user behavior data, a UX researcher would detect subtle shifts in usage patterns that may indicate a design flaw or a new user need.

What does a UX researcher do?

On a practical level, a UX researcher’s daily tasks are diverse and encompass a range of responsibilities, all serving to reveal insights into the user’s needs and inform design choices.

Here are some of the primary tasks in the UX research process:

• Analyzing data and gathering feedback. UX researchers collect and assess data from various research methods such as surveys, user interviews, and usability tests. This data serves as the foundation for developing user personas that direct design decisions.
• Recruiting end users for research studies. End users are the individuals who participate in studies during the UX research process. UX researchers seek volunteers who are willing to offer insights and feedback on new product features and designs. This recruitment may involve reaching out to personal networks, posting study ads on relevant online communities, and offering incentives to participate, like gift cards or cash rewards.
• Presenting insights to the UX design team. A critical aspect of the UX research process is sharing insights with the UX design team. After gathering and analyzing data, the researcher must present their findings in a concise and straightforward way using effective visualization tools so developers can incorporate feedback into future iterations of the product.
• Supporting the project strategy. UX researchers must work closely with the product team to help shape the overall project strategy. This involves deciphering user behaviors and communicating them to collaborators in a way that aligns with the team’s development approach.
• Maintaining the learning process. Staying up to date with the latest UX research techniques and tools is crucial as the field continually evolves. Researchers must constantly learn from user feedback about their information-gathering process and adapt their research methods as necessary for smooth operations.

From the fundamentals to advanced topics — learn how to build sites in Webflow and become the designer you always wanted to be.

UX researchers and their backgrounds

If you lack experience in research design or any of the above-mentioned areas, you can still embark on a career in this field.

UX researchers come from various and sometimes seemingly unrelated educational backgrounds, such as psychology, marketing, sociology, anthropology, and more. Educational diversity enriches perspectives and contributes to a broad understanding of end users and their needs.

UX researchers with backgrounds in psychology, for example, might bring valuable insights into human behavior and motivation. In contrast, those with marketing backgrounds could excel in understanding user preferences and market trends.

7 steps to become a UX researcher

Understanding the characteristics and responsibilities of a UX researcher is the first step in pursuing a career in this field. Ready to dive in? Here are the next steps to becoming a UX researcher.

1. Nurture your UX knowledge

Immerse yourself in UX-related publications, books, blogs, and online courses. Keep up with the latest trends and best practices in UX, UI design, and related areas so you’re prepared to speak with authority and intelligently answer job interview questions. You can also attend industry events and conferences to learn directly from experts. This industry knowledge will help you better comprehend the grand objective behind the UX research process .

2. Consider your educational background

While optional, a degree in fields such as psychology, sociology, or human-computer interaction is often beneficial to preparing for a UX research career. You can also pursue UX certifications and bootcamps , which will directly help you gain practical industry-related skills in UX that are in demand today.

3. Hone your technical and soft skills

UX researchers rely on specific technical skills, such as conducting qualitative research or creating user journey maps to help evaluate user experience effectively. You can develop these capabilities through online courses, workshops, and personal projects.

Also, focus on developing soft skills such as analytical thinking and problem-solving, which will help you understand user needs effectively.

4. Practice using UX research tools

Familiarize yourself with the current UX tools commonly used in UX research, such as user testing platforms, survey software, and data analytics tools. Proficiency in these resources is essential for effective research and analysis. The tools you’ll rely on to create user-centric designs change continuously, so staying up to date with the latest in the industry is vital.

5. Gain practical experience

Nothing can replace hands-on experience in preparing you for a successful career as a UX researcher. Take on as many research projects as possible to gain exposure, even if they’re personal or volunteer-based. This practical experience will help you hone your skills and build a portfolio to impress potential employers as you apply for UX researcher positions.

6. Build a professional network

Networking is vital to success in any field. Attend UX conferences, join UX research organizations, and connect with other professionals on social media to broaden your reach. For further involvement, join industry groups and UX forums to ask questions and interact with like-minded individuals. Maintaining a solid network can open doors to job opportunities and collaboration, so strive to nurture those connections for long-term professional relationships.

7. Polish your resume and portfolio

Your resume and portfolio are your calling cards in the job search process. Make sure these materials showcase your skills, most impressive projects, and accomplishments to highlight your expertise in UX research. Keeping these documents well-structured and visually appealing helps ensure you appear professionally polished to recruiters and interviewers.

Step into a UX research career with Webflow

If you want to learn more about design, user experience, and how to embark on a UX research career path , head to the Webflow blog . You’ll find resources such as informative, industry-relevant content and stories from other designers and teams.

When you’re ready to create a website to host your digital portfolio , Webflow’s visual web design platform can help you build a powerful and aesthetically pleasing site — with no coding necessary. Explore Webflow today and make your UX career aspirations a reality.

Subscribe to Webflow Inspo

Get the best, coolest, and latest in design and no-code delivered to your inbox each week.

Related articles

What does a UX designer do?

Learn how a UX designer approaches their work.

What is a UX writer and how do you become one?

UX writers are responsible for creating the text on websites and apps. The demand for good UX writers is high — here’s how you can become one.

8 common types of designers and what they do

A list of eight types of designers to help you choose a career path in: product, graphic, web, UI, UX, industrial, interior, or motion graphics.

What is UX design?

Great UX design centers the user — and anyone can practice this with a no code platform.

How to become a web designer: A complete guide for 2024

Learning how to become a professional web designer takes a lot of dedication, but the steps toward success aren’t as complicated as you might think.

5 essential UX design tips

Get the best UX tips to help you design products with intuitive, effective user experiences.

Get started for free

Try Webflow for as long as you like with our free Starter plan. Purchase a paid Site plan to publish, host, and unlock additional features.

Transforming the design process at

• Reviews / Why join our community?
• For companies
• Frequently asked questions

UX Research

What is ux research.

UX (user experience) research is the systematic study of target users and their requirements, to add realistic contexts and insights to design processes. UX researchers adopt various methods to uncover problems and design opportunities. Doing so, they reveal valuable information which can be fed into the design process.

See why UX research is a critical part of the UX design process.

• Transcript loading…

UX Research is about Finding Insights to Guide Successful Designs

When you do UX research, you’ll be better able to give users the best solutions—because you can discover exactly what they need. You can apply UX research at any stage of the design process. UX researchers often begin with qualitative measures, to determine users’ motivations and needs . Later, they might use quantitative measures to test their results . To do UX research well, you must take a structured approach when you gather data from your users. It’s vital to use methods that 1) are right for the purpose of your research and 2) will give you the clearest information. Then, you can interpret your findings so you can build valuable insights into your design .

“I get very uncomfortable when someone makes a design decision without customer contact.” – Dan Ritzenthaler, Senior Product Designer at HubSpot

We can divide UX research into two subsets:

Qualitative research – Using methods such as interviews and ethnographic field studies, you work to get an in-depth understanding of why users do what they do (e.g., why they missed a call to action, why they feel how they do about a website). For example, you can do user interviews with a small number of users and ask open-ended questions to get personal insights into their exercise habits. Another aspect of qualitative research is usability testing , to monitor (e.g.) users’ stress responses. You should do qualitative research carefully. As it involves collecting non-numerical data (e.g., opinions, motivations), there’s a risk that your personal opinions will influence findings.

Quantitative research – Using more-structured methods (e.g., surveys, analytics), you gather measurable data about what users do and test assumptions you drew from qualitative research. For example, you can give users an online survey to answer questions about their exercise habits (e.g., “How many hours do you work out per week?”). With this data, you can discover patterns among a large user group. If you have a large enough sample of representative test users, you’ll have a more statistically reliable way of assessing the population of target users. Whatever the method, with careful research design you can gather objective data that’s unbiased by your presence, personality or assumptions. However, quantitative data alone can’t reveal deeper human insights.

We can additionally divide UX research into two approaches:

Attitudinal – you listen to what users say—e.g., in interviews.

Behavioral – you see what users do through observational studies.

When you use a mix of both quantitative and qualitative research as well as a mix of attitudinal and behavioral approaches, you can usually get the clearest view of a design problem.

© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0

Use UX Research Methods throughout Development

The Nielsen Norman Group—an industry-leading UX consulting organization—identifies appropriate UX research methods which you can use during a project’s four stages . Key methods are:

Discover – Determine what is relevant for users.

Contextual inquiries – Interview suitable users in their own environment to see how they perform the task/s in question.

Diary studies – Have users record their daily interactions with a design or log their performance of activities.

Explore – Examine how to address all users’ needs.

Card sorting – Write words and phrases on cards; then let participants organize them in the most meaningful way and label categories to ensure that your design is structured in a logical way.

Customer journey maps – Create user journeys to expose potential pitfalls and crucial moments.

Test – Evaluate your designs.

Usability testing – Ensure your design is easy to use.

Accessibility evaluations – Test your design to ensure it’s accessible to everyone.

Listen – Put issues in perspective, find any new problems and notice trends.

Surveys/Questionnaires – Use these to track how users’ feel about your product.

Analytics – Collect analytics/metrics to chart (e.g.) website traffic and build reports.

• Copyright holder: Unsplash. Copyright terms and license: CCO Public Domain. Link: https://pixabay.com/en/clay-hands-sculpting-art-69...
• Copyright holder: Unsplash. Copyright terms and license: CCO Public Domain. Link: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-shirt-an...
• Copyright holder: Indecent Proposer. Copyright terms and license: CC BY-NC 2.0 Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/indecent_proposal/14...
• Copyright holder: Anna Langova. Copyright terms and license: CC0 1.0 Link: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php...
• Copyright holder: Conmongt. Copyright terms and license: CC0 Public Domain Link: https://pixabay.com/en/hourglass-time-time-lapse-clock-1623517/

Whichever UX research method you choose, you need to consider the pros and cons of the different techniques . For instance, card sorting is cheap and easy, but you may find it time-consuming when it comes to analysis. Also, it might not give you in-depth contextual meaning. Another constraint is your available resources , which will dictate when, how much and which type of UX research you can do. So, decide carefully on the most relevant method/s for your research . Moreover, involve stakeholders from your organization early on . They can reveal valuable UX insights and help keep your research in line with business goals. Remember, a design team values UX research as a way to validate its assumptions about users in the field , slash the cost of the best deliverables and keep products in high demand —ahead of competitors’.

User research methods have different pros and cons,and vary from observations of users in context to controlled experiments in lab settings.

Learn More about UX Research

For a thorough grasp of UX research, take our course here: User Research – Methods and Best Practices

Read an extensive range of UX research considerations, discussed in Smashing Magazine: A Comprehensive Guide To UX Research

See the Nielsen Norman Group’s list of UX research tips: UX Research Cheat Sheet

Here’s a handy, example-rich catalog of UX research tools: 43 UX research tools for optimizing your product

Questions related to UX Research

UX research is a good career for those who enjoy working with a team and have strong communication skills. As a researcher, you play a crucial role in helping your team understand users and deliver valuable and delightful experiences. You will find a UX research career appealing if you enjoy scientific and creative pursuits. 

Start exploring this career option; see the User Researcher Learning Path .

Studies suggest that companies are also willing to pay well for research roles. The average salary for a UX researcher ranges from $92,000 to $146,000 per year.

In smaller companies, user research may be one of the responsibilities of a generalist UX designer. How much can your salary vary based on your region? Find out in UI & UX Designer Salaries: How Much Can I Earn .

Research is one part of the overall UX design process. UX research helps inform the design strategy and decisions made at every step of the design process. In smaller teams, a generalist designer may end up conducting research.

A UX researcher aims to understand users and their needs. A UX designer seeks to create a product that meets those needs.

A UX researcher gathers information. A UX designer uses that information to create a user-friendly and visually appealing product.

Learn more about the relationship between UX research and UX design in the course:

User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide

If we consider a very broad definition of UX, then all user research is UX research.

However, in practice, there is a subtle difference between user research and UX research. While both involve understanding people, user research can involve users in any kind of research question, and some questions may not be that directly connected to user experience.

For example, you might do user research relating to a customer’s experience in relation to pricing, delivery or the experience across multiple channels.

Common UX research methods are usability testing, A/B testing, surveys, card sorting, user interviews, usage analytics and ethnographic research. Each method has its pros and cons and is useful in different scenarios. Hence, you must select the appropriate research method for the research question and target audience. Learn more about these methods in 7 Great, Tried and Tested UX Research Techniques .

Get started with user research. Download the User Research template bundle .

For a deep dive into usability testing—the most common research method, take the course Conducting Usability Testing .

Having a degree in a related field can give you an advantage. However, you don’t need a specific degree to become a UX researcher. A combination of relevant education, practical experience, and continuous learning can help you pursue a career in UX research. Many UX researchers come from diverse educational backgrounds, including psychology, statistics, human-computer interaction, information systems, design and anthropology.

Some employers may prefer candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree. However, it does not have to be in a UX-related field. There are relatively fewer degrees that focus solely on user research.

Data-Driven Design: Quantitative Research for UX

User Research – Methods and Best Practices

Every research project will vary. However, there are some common steps in conducting research, no matter which method or tool you decide to use: 

Define the research question

Select the appropriate research method

Recruit participants

Conduct the research

Analyze the data

Present the findings

You can choose from various UX research tools . Your choice depends on your research question, how you're researching, the size of your organization, and your project. For instance:

Survey tools such as Typeform and Google Forms.

Card sorting tools such as Maze and UXtweak.

Heatmap tools such as HotJar and CrazyEgg

Usability testing (through first-click testing and tree-testing) tools such as Optimal Workshop and Loop 11

Diagramming applications such as Miro and Whimsical to analyze qualitative data through affinity diagramming.

Spreadsheet tools such as Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel for quantitative data analysis

Interface design and prototyping tools like Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch and Marvel to conduct usability testing.

Presentation tools such as Keynote, Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Many of these tools offer additional features you can leverage for multiple purposes. To understand how you can make the most of these tools, we recommend these courses:

There are relatively fewer degrees that focus solely on user research.

While there are no universal research case study formats, here’s one suggested outline: 

An overview of the project: Include the problem statement, goals and objectives.

The research methods and methodology: For example, surveys, interviews, or usability testing).

Research findings

The design process: How the research findings led to design decisions.

Impact of design decisions on users and the business: Include metrics such as conversion and error rates to demonstrate the impact.

Optionally, include notes on what you learned and how you can improve the process in the future.

Learn how to showcase your portfolio to wow your future employer/client in the How to Create a UX Portfolio course.

While AI can help automate tasks and help UX researchers, it will not completely replace them. AI lacks the creativity and empathy that human designers bring to the table.

Human researchers are better at understanding the nuances of human behavior and emotions. They can also think outside the box and develop creative solutions that AI cannot. So, AI can help researchers be more efficient and effective through data analysis, smart suggestions and automation. But it cannot replace them.

Watch AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career to learn how you can work with AI.

Agile teams often struggle to incorporate user research in their workflows due to the time pressure of short sprints. However, that doesn’t mean agile teams can’t conduct research. Instead of seeing research as one big project, teams can break it into bite-sized chunks. Researchers regularly conduct research and share their findings in every sprint.

Researchers can involve engineers and other stakeholders in decision-making to give everyone the context they need to make better decisions. When engineers participate in the decision-making process, they can ensure that the design will be technically feasible. There will also be lower chances of errors when the team actually builds the feature. Here’s more on how to make research a team effort .

For more on bite-sized research, see this Master Class: Continuous Product Discovery: The What and Why

For more practical tips and methods to work in an agile environment, take our Agile Methods for UX Design course.

User research is very important in designing products people will want and use. It helps us avoid designing based on what we think instead of what users actually want.

UX research helps designers understand their users’ needs, behaviors, attitudes and how they interact with a product or service. Research helps identify usability problems, gather feedback on design concepts, and validate design decisions. This ultimately benefits businesses by improving the product, brand reputation and loyalty. A good user experience provides a competitive edge and reduces the risk of product failure.

Learn more about the importance of user research in the design process in these courses:

Design Thinking: The Ultimate Guide

Answer a Short Quiz to Earn a Gift

What is the primary purpose of UX research in design processes?

• To ensure the product is visually appealing.
• To reduce the cost of marketing the product.
• To understand user needs and enhance design decisions.

Which type of UX research do designers use to collect non-numerical data such as opinions and motivations?

• Behavioral research
• Qualitative research
• Quantitative research

Which UX research method involves users sorting terms into categories to help structure design logically?

• Card sorting
• Information architecture
• Usability testing

What is a potential drawback of using card sorting in UX research?

• It can be expensive and requires special software.
• It may not provide deep contextual insights.
• It only works for digital products.

How does UX research primarily benefit a design team in a business context?

• It focuses exclusively on the aesthetic aspects of product design.
• It reduces dependency on technology.
• It validates design assumptions and keeps products competitive.

Better luck next time!

Do you want to improve your UX / UI Design skills? Join us now

Congratulations! You did amazing

You earned your gift with a perfect score! Let us send it to you.

Check Your Inbox

We’ve emailed your gift to [email protected] .

Literature on UX Research

Here’s the entire UX literature on UX Research by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:

Learn more about UX Research

Take a deep dive into UX Research with our course User Research – Methods and Best Practices .

How do you plan to design a product or service that your users will love , if you don't know what they want in the first place? As a user experience designer, you shouldn't leave it to chance to design something outstanding; you should make the effort to understand your users and build on that knowledge from the outset. User research is the way to do this, and it can therefore be thought of as the largest part of user experience design .

In fact, user research is often the first step of a UX design process—after all, you cannot begin to design a product or service without first understanding what your users want! As you gain the skills required, and learn about the best practices in user research, you’ll get first-hand knowledge of your users and be able to design the optimal product—one that’s truly relevant for your users and, subsequently, outperforms your competitors’ .

This course will give you insights into the most essential qualitative research methods around and will teach you how to put them into practice in your design work. You’ll also have the opportunity to embark on three practical projects where you can apply what you’ve learned to carry out user research in the real world . You’ll learn details about how to plan user research projects and fit them into your own work processes in a way that maximizes the impact your research can have on your designs. On top of that, you’ll gain practice with different methods that will help you analyze the results of your research and communicate your findings to your clients and stakeholders—workshops, user journeys and personas, just to name a few!

By the end of the course, you’ll have not only a Course Certificate but also three case studies to add to your portfolio. And remember, a portfolio with engaging case studies is invaluable if you are looking to break into a career in UX design or user research!

We believe you should learn from the best, so we’ve gathered a team of experts to help teach this course alongside our own course instructors. That means you’ll meet a new instructor in each of the lessons on research methods who is an expert in their field—we hope you enjoy what they have in store for you!

All open-source articles on UX Research

7 great, tried and tested ux research techniques.

• 1.2k shares
• 3 years ago

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding UX Roles and Which One You Should Go For

• 10 mths ago

Shadowing in User Research - Do You See What They See?

Contextual Interviews and How to Handle Them

15 Guiding Principles for UX Researchers

Ethnography

Porter’s 5 Forces Model - Design in Context, Understand the Market

• 7 years ago

Ideas for Conducting UX Research with Children

Laddering Questions Drilling Down Deep and Moving Sideways in UX Research

• 8 years ago

Action Research

The top ux design books you need to read in 2024: beginner to expert.

• 11 mths ago

4 Common Pitfalls in Usability Testing and How to Avoid Them to Get More Honest Feedback

• 2 years ago

Confirmation Bias – It’s Not What We Think We Know That Counts

User Research Methods for Mobile UX

6 Tips for Better International UX Research

Common UX Research Interview Questions

Collaborating with Your Team for Research

The Best Free UX Design Courses in 2024

Adding Quality to Your Design Research with an SSQS Checklist

How to Fit Quantitative Research into the Project Lifecycle

Open Access—Link to us!

We believe in Open Access and the  democratization of knowledge . Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.

If you want this to change , cite this page , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge !

Privacy Settings

Our digital services use necessary tracking technologies, including third-party cookies, for security, functionality, and to uphold user rights. Optional cookies offer enhanced features, and analytics.

Experience the full potential of our site that remembers your preferences and supports secure sign-in.

Governs the storage of data necessary for maintaining website security, user authentication, and fraud prevention mechanisms.

Enhanced Functionality

Saves your settings and preferences, like your location, for a more personalized experience.

Referral Program

We use cookies to enable our referral program, giving you and your friends discounts.

Error Reporting

We share user ID with Bugsnag and NewRelic to help us track errors and fix issues.

Optimize your experience by allowing us to monitor site usage. You’ll enjoy a smoother, more personalized journey without compromising your privacy.

Analytics Storage

Collects anonymous data on how you navigate and interact, helping us make informed improvements.

Differentiates real visitors from automated bots, ensuring accurate usage data and improving your website experience.

Lets us tailor your digital ads to match your interests, making them more relevant and useful to you.

Advertising Storage

Stores information for better-targeted advertising, enhancing your online ad experience.

Personalization Storage

Permits storing data to personalize content and ads across Google services based on user behavior, enhancing overall user experience.

Advertising Personalization

Allows for content and ad personalization across Google services based on user behavior. This consent enhances user experiences.

Enables personalizing ads based on user data and interactions, allowing for more relevant advertising experiences across Google services.

Receive more relevant advertisements by sharing your interests and behavior with our trusted advertising partners.

Enables better ad targeting and measurement on Meta platforms, making ads you see more relevant.

Allows for improved ad effectiveness and measurement through Meta’s Conversions API, ensuring privacy-compliant data sharing.

LinkedIn Insights

Tracks conversions, retargeting, and web analytics for LinkedIn ad campaigns, enhancing ad relevance and performance.

LinkedIn CAPI

Enhances LinkedIn advertising through server-side event tracking, offering more accurate measurement and personalization.

Google Ads Tag

Tracks ad performance and user engagement, helping deliver ads that are most useful to you.

Share Knowledge, Get Respect!

or copy link

Cite according to academic standards

Simply copy and paste the text below into your bibliographic reference list, onto your blog, or anywhere else. You can also just hyperlink to this page.

New to UX Design? We’re Giving You a Free ebook!

Download our free ebook The Basics of User Experience Design to learn about core concepts of UX design.

In 9 chapters, we’ll cover: conducting user interviews, design thinking, interaction design, mobile UX design, usability, UX research, and many more!

Product Design (UX/UI) Bundle and save

User Research New

Content Design

UX Design Fundamentals

Software and Coding Fundamentals for UX

• UX training for teams
• Hire our alumni
• Student Stories
• State of UX Hiring Report 2024
• Our mission
• Advisory Council

Education for every phase of your UX career

Professional Diploma

Learn the full user experience (UX) process from research to interaction design to prototyping.

Combine the UX Diploma with the UI Certificate to pursue a career as a product designer.

Professional Certificates

Learn how to plan, execute, analyse and communicate user research effectively.

Master content design and UX writing principles, from tone and style to writing for interfaces.

Understand the fundamentals of UI elements and design systems, as well as the role of UI in UX.

Short Courses

Gain a solid foundation in the philosophy, principles and methods of user experience design.

Learn the essentials of software development so you can work more effectively with developers.

Give your team the skills, knowledge and mindset to create great digital products.

Join our hiring programme and access our list of certified professionals.

Learn about our mission to set the global standard in UX education.

Meet our leadership team with UX and education expertise.

Members of the council connect us to the wider UX industry.

Our team are available to answer any of your questions.

Fresh insights from experts, alumni and the wider design community.

Success stories from our course alumni building thriving careers.

Discover a wealth of UX expertise on our YouTube channel.

Latest industry insights. A practical guide to landing a job in UX.

How to find UX researcher jobs in 2024

If you’re looking to land your first UX researcher job, you’re in the right place! We’re here to guide you through the job hunt, providing you with the tools and knowledge to climb the UX research career ladder with confidence.

Free course: Introduction to UX Design

What is UX? Why has it become so important? Could it be a career for you? Learn the answers, and more, with a free 7-lesson video course.

Pursuing a career in UX research promises more than just a good salary and flexible working; it’s a pathway to a fulfilling and multi-faceted long-term profession. As businesses increasingly prioritise user experience, the demand for skilled UX researchers is on the rise. 

If you’re looking to land your first UX researcher job, you’re in the right place! We’re here to guide you through the job hunt, providing you with the tools and knowledge to climb the UX research career ladder with confidence.

Let’s get started.

What does a UX researcher do?

UX research is a multi-disciplinary role that involves a seamless blend of UX strategy, research, project management, and analysis. In short, UX researchers actively shape the blueprint of a user’s interaction with a product. 

UX researchers work hand in hand with product managers, designers, and engineers. They ensure that every perspective aligns with the user’s needs, keeping the team’s vision user-centred. Their toolkit is vast, including advanced analytics and user testing software , which they use to capture and dissect user behaviour with precision.

A UX researcher also thrives on communication, turning data into stories that propel product teams to innovate. They share these insights with clarity and conviction, often swaying product decisions and strategies. Keeping their fingers on the pulse of the tech industry is part of their DNA, ensuring that the products they work on stay ahead of the curve and deeply connected to user needs.

On a day-to-day basis, UX researchers might find themselves: 

• Identifying research questions based on what the team needs to know about user behaviour and preferences.
• Designing and conducting studies through user interviews , surveys , and usability tests to gather user data.
• Analysing user feedback to uncover user needs, pain points, and behaviours.
• Communicating insights and presenting findings to key stakeholders to inform product decisions.
• Creating user personas and journey maps that represent different user groups and their interactions with the product.

To learn more about the role, check out our comprehensive guide to what a UX researcher does .

Is there a high demand for UX researchers?

It’s no secret that the tech job market has seen its ups and downs in recent years, so before diving headfirst into your job hunt, you might be tentatively wondering how high the demand for UX researchers actually is—and how that might impact your ability to land a UX researcher job in a timely way. 

Luckily, the numbers paint a promising picture. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a robust 8% growth rate in UX roles . This isn’t just a number—it’s a beacon signalling that UX research is a field ripe with opportunity​. 

Companies across industries are waking up to the fact that good UX is no longer a luxury; it’s the heartbeat of a thriving business—the golden ticket to customer loyalty and a booming brand. In this new digital landscape, UX researchers have become indispensable hires. 

And this demand doesn’t go unrewarded. In Ireland, the average salary for a UX researcher is just over €60,000 per year and goes over €92,500 per year with seniority. ( Glassdoor ).

In the US, a UX researcher’s salary averages $100,688, which can soar up to $130,000+ as you climb the seniority ladder (according to Glassdoor ). 

So, is now a good time to step onto the UX research career path? Absolutely! As technology evolves, demand has never been higher for talented UX researchers who can help shape a future where technology is not only functional—but also a joy to use​.

[GET CERTIFIED IN USER RESEARCH]

How to get a UX researcher job with no experience

Breaking into the world of UX research without prior experience might feel like a daunting task, but UX research—like many UX disciplines—has the winning combination of a low barrier to entry and high rewards. 

The first step? Take a deep dive into the world of UX. As a complete beginner, you can learn to think like a UX researcher with a comprehensive course like the UX Design Institute’s Professional Certificate in User Research . This isn’t just about earning a certificate to hang on your wall—it’s about absorbing the essence of UX research, from user psychology to data analysis—and learning the practical skills you’ll need to work as a UX researcher.

Next, it’s time to transform your newfound knowledge into tangible proof of your skills. This involves building a portfolio that tells the story of your journey into UX research, with case studies and projects that spotlight your skill in turning user feedback into actionable insights. Luckily, courses like the UXDI Certificate in User Research allow you to build a professional portfolio with real-world projects under the guidance of leading UX researchers. 

Remember, employers aren’t just scouting for experience—they’re on the lookout for passion, curiosity, and a knack for innovation. Show them what you’re made of with a portfolio that dazzles, a qualification that backs up your expertise, and a narrative that demonstrates you’re ready to take on the UX research world by storm.

[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]

How to find a UX researcher job in 2024: 7 Actionable job search tips

Whether you’re a recent graduate or shifting careers, high demand for UX researchers means there’s no shortage of jobs to go around—from startup roles to positions in larger enterprises. But how do you actually go about finding UX researcher jobs? 

In this section, we’ll lay out some practical, actionable tips for landing that first role and getting your foot firmly on the UX research career ladder. 

Network like a pro

The key to unlocking the hidden UX research job market is networking. Start attending UX meetups, workshops, and design sprints to rub elbows with the movers and shakers in the field. 

Online platforms like LinkedIn are your ally—reach out for informational interviews, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. Remember, it’s not just about meeting people; it’s about building relationships. You never know where your next UX researcher job might come from!

Develop a personal brand

Your online persona is your billboard in the digital world. Craft a LinkedIn profile and a portfolio that both showcase your passion for UX research, speak to your skills, and tell your unique career story. Be consistent across platforms, and let your personal brand reflect your unique approach to UX research.

Engage with the community

The UX community is one of the most active communities in the world. Don’t be afraid to get involved! Start contributing to UX discussions on Twitter /X, join Slack groups, participate in subreddit threads, and check out these 12 UX communities that are ready to welcome you .

Share your projects, give feedback to others, and keep the conversation going. An active online presence can generate job leads and showcase your enthusiasm for UX research.

Tailor your applications

When it comes to job applications, one size does not fit all. Read job descriptions carefully and echo the language and requirements they list in your cover letter and resume. Show potential employers that you understand their needs and that your skills align perfectly with what they’re looking for.

Keep your skills topped up

In the fast-paced world of UX research, staying updated with the latest research methods, design software, and best practices is crucial. Attend webinars, take online courses, and read industry blogs to ensure your toolkit is up-to-date and ready to impress.

Be proactive

Don’t wait for opportunities to come knocking. Volunteer to do research projects for local businesses, collaborate on open-source projects or conduct your own user research studies. A proactive approach not only builds your portfolio but also demonstrates your dedication and initiative to potential employers.

Stay prepared for interviews

Interviews can be daunting, but preparation is key. Familiarise yourself with common interview questions for UX researchers and practice articulating your thought process and decisions. Use stories from your past experiences to illustrate how you’ve applied UX research methods effectively. That way, you avoid panicking when opportunities arise!

The best job boards for finding UX researcher jobs

On your journey to landing a UX researcher job, think of job boards as your compass. These boards are not just platforms for job listings; they’re communities where opportunities, insights, and resources converge to help you navigate this exciting career change.

To streamline your search, here’s our roundup of the best job boards for finding a UX researcher job:

• LinkedIn : The professional networking giant’s job board has advanced search capabilities to filter for UX roles.
• Indeed : Renowned for its extensive database, Indeed aggregates listings from numerous sources, offering a wide range of UX research positions.
• Glassdoor : Beyond job listings, Glassdoor provides valuable company reviews and salary data, giving you a sneak peek into potential employers.
• UX Jobs Board : A hub of UX talent, this board specialises in roles from junior positions to senior-level opportunities.
• UI UX Designer Jobs : A manually curated job board for UI/UX Designers. Sign up to receive weekly emails for remote jobs in USA, Canada and EU..
• Smashing Magazine Jobs: Catering to the creative and web professional community, Smashing Magazine’s job board is a hotspot for design-centric roles, including UX research.
• IxDA Job Board: The Interaction Design Association curates a list of quality UX positions, focusing on the community’s growth and networking.
• We Work Remotely : Boasting as the largest remote work community, this platform is perfect for UX researchers who prefer remote work. With an advanced filtering system, it provides job listings across the globe.
• Remote OK : Another great resource for finding remote UX positions, appealing to those looking to work from anywhere.
• Authentic Jobs : A trusted job board for the creative industry, offering a wide range of UX and design roles (including UX research).

Leveraging these job boards effectively means engaging with the communities, setting up job alerts, and tailoring applications to each role. Each application is a step closer to your goal, and these job boards are your allies in the quest for your first UX researcher gig.

Learn more about building a career as a UX researcher

UX research is a flourishing and lucrative discipline that marries technology, psychology, and design—no wonder it’s such a popular choice for career changers. 

Hopefully, you now feel better equipped to navigate finding your first UX researcher job, from understanding the demand for UX roles to leveraging job boards and networking to uncover those hidden gem positions. 

While pursuing a UX researcher job might seem overwhelming, the bold leap into the unknown can lead to the most rewarding outcomes. Just take it from Azeem, whose transition from business analytics to UX research is nothing short of inspiring. We encourage you to delve into Azeem’s story on our blog, where you’ll see how upskilling and a dash of perseverance can launch you into your dream role in UX.

You might also like to watch our UX Insiders episode on getting hired in UX:

• ux researcher

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the best UX insights and career advice direct to your inbox each month.

Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter

You'll now get the best career advice, industry insights and UX community content, direct to your inbox every month.

Upcoming courses

Professional diploma in ux design.

Learn the full UX process, from research to design to prototyping.

Professional Certificate in UI Design

Master key concepts and techniques of UI design.

Certificate in Software and Coding Fundamentals for UX

Collaborate effectively with software developers.

Certificate in UX Design Fundamentals

Get a comprehensive introduction to UX design.

Professional Certificate in Content Design

Learn the skills you need to start a career in content design.

Professional Certificate in User Research

Master the research skills that make UX professionals so valuable.

Upcoming course

Build your UX career with a globally-recognised, industry-approved certification. Get the mindset, the skills and the confidence of UX designers.

You may also like

10 UX writing examples to inspire you in 2024

A complete guide to presenting UX research findings

A day in the life of a UX Research Manager with Google’s Dr. Stephen Hassard

Build your UX career with a globally recognised, industry-approved qualification. Get the mindset, the confidence and the skills that make UX designers so valuable.

3 September 2024

Home » Free Resources » »

What Is a UX Researcher? Here’s How to Become a UX Researcher

• Written by Contributing Writer
• Updated on May 17, 2023

From televisions and toasters to websites and apps, products succeed when they give users what they need and want, with maximum convenience and ease of use. With the help of user experience (UX) research, product designers and developers have a roadmap for creating products that solve user problems, satisfy unmet needs, and provide enjoyment.

UX researchers collect and analyze the real-world data that guide product design. And today, UX research is one of the most in-demand and lucrative jobs in the information space. In this article, we will discuss a UX researcher’s role and how you can gain UX researcher qualifications through an online UI UX course .

What Is a UX Researcher?

UX research is a place where psychology and technology meet. UX researchers are curious, creative people working with various data collection methods to help product developers learn who their users are and what they want from their products. The user feedback and data they collect and analyze will inform all phases of the design thinking process, helping developers to refine prototypes based on the insights gathered from studying user behaviors and attitudes.

The Importance of a UX Researcher

In a competitive global marketplace, UX researchers are crucial in helping companies deliver new and better products to those who want them. User experience research focuses on discovering and understanding exactly how and why real people use products, so it can help to shape the design process and avoid costly mistakes. Insights from UX research can also play an important role in designing product marketing campaigns that target users’ needs, wants, and “pain points.”

UX research also provides a way for product users to influence the design and development of the products they buy. Their documented experiences and opinions can reveal a product’s design flaws and provide actionable suggestions for improvement. That leads to a better experience for all users.

Also Read: UX Researcher Job Description: Career Guide 2023

What Does a UX Researcher Do?

A UX researcher’s responsibility is to gather as much information as possible about how users interact with products and how they feel about those interactions. UX research methods generally combine various strategies for collecting different types of data, and you can learn these methods through online UX training .

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research collects numerical and statistical data about users’ interactions with a product, such as the length of time spent doing a specific task, the number of users who were able to complete the task, and which features were used or skipped. Quantitative research provides measurable data that can help designers improve upon existing versions of a product and roll out new ones.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research investigates “soft” factors that emerge from user interactions with a product. That can include behavioral and attitudinal research. Behavioral research focuses on what users do when interacting with a product, such as navigating a web page or setting up a new device. Attitudinal research gathers insights about how users feel about their experiences using a product and which features they like and dislike.

To collect and analyze all possible data about users’ real-world experiences, UX researchers can employ a variety of strategies, such as:

• Interviews and focus groups with actual product users. Individual user interviews and focus group discussions are conducted in person or online. They provide an open-ended format for users to discuss all aspects of their experience and make recommendations for changes or improvements.
• Surveys . Questionnaires and surveys can be designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative information about user experiences. They can be repeated to track changes over a product’s life cycle. Surveys can include multiple-choice and open-ended questions to collect both numerical data and information about user attitudes.
• A/B (split) testing . This strategy presents users with two versions of a product or campaign to see which one a test audience or focus group prefers. That might involve showing each option to a different group or asking one group to choose when presented with two options.
• Usability research . To conduct usability testing, a researcher observes while users try to complete a specific task with the product, such as navigating a web page or assembling an item. Conducting usability testing can reveal data about how long it takes to do the task, how many steps it involves, and what obstacles users encounter.
• Logs and diaries . A researcher might ask a select group of users to keep a log or diary of their everyday interactions with the product over weeks or months. Recording all instances of product use can reveal how it is used, when, and who uses it most.

A UX researcher’s role and responsibilities can vary considerably depending on the industry and the demands of individual projects. In general, though, UX researchers can expect to:

• Work with designers and developers to establish research objectives
• Develop an overall research strategy for collecting the data needed to achieve those objectives
• Analyze data from all sources to gain key insights for shaping product development
• Present research results to stakeholders, including designers, developers, and company decision-makers

Also Read: UX Researcher Salary: Check Out How Experienced and Entry-Level UX Researchers Earn

What Skills Are Required for a Career in UX Research?

UX research requires both technical skills and “soft” skills, such as empathy and creativity. Although the specifics can vary considerably across industries, UX researcher qualifications typically include the following:

• Communication skills. UX researchers must be able to collaborate with many people in many different environments. They work with company designers and developers to plan and carry out research projects and with research participants and other company stakeholders. They must also be able to present research findings clearly and concisely to company stakeholders ranging from decision-makers to marketers.
• Understanding of the design process. Although design skills and experience aren’t generally required for a career in UX research, you’ll need to understand the stages of the design process, from idea to finished product. That helps UX researchers create a project that captures the data designers must have to meet the needs and expectations of users.
• Problem-solving abilities. UX research projects are designed to discover user problems and help designers find solutions. Critical thinking, creativity, and curiosity are key to developing research projects that capture the right data and deliver the insights that shape product development.
• Analytical thinking for working with data. Along with collecting data, user researchers must also be able to analyze that data and extract the insights that designers and other stakeholders need to create new products and refine existing ones. UX researchers need to be able to synthesize information from diverse sources and present it in easily understandable formats for a diverse group of stakeholders ranging from design teams to company decision-makers.

How To Become a UX Researcher

UX research is a relatively new field that embraces aspects of technology, psychology, and communication, so the paths to a career as a UX researcher can vary considerably. Many UX researcher roles require at least a bachelor’s degree, but that degree can be in fields as diverse as computer science, statistics, psychology, or human-computer interaction, a multidisciplinary field focusing on designing computers for maximum ease of use.

Becoming a UX designer without a degree—or with a degree in a completely unrelated field is also possible. Aspiring UX researchers can build general UX and industry-specific skills through a UI/UX bootcamp that leads to a professional certificate or conduct UX research in their existing jobs. It’s also possible to get experience conducting user research by volunteering for a local business or nonprofit group.

A portfolio that demonstrates hands-on experience can be as effective as a degree in new, technology-driven fields. So once you’ve completed a few projects, creating a user research portfolio that showcases your skills can boost your job search success. Engaging with online UX communities and UX research organizations is also helpful for learning, networking, and building the connections that can help you find work.

Thousands of remote and in-office UX research jobs are listed across the US and the world on major employment listing sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. And many more are posted on industry-specific job boards and websites. Opportunities include mid-level and senior positions requiring considerable experience and advanced skills and numerous entry-level jobs for newcomers to the field. The average UX researcher salary is around $80,000, and the field has a projected job growth of 19 percent by 2027. UX researchers can work in industries of all kinds to plan research projects that yield insights for better product development and user satisfaction.

Companies across all industries rely on UX research to collect user feedback that can improve products, shape marketing campaigns, and produce satisfied consumers. With high salaries and plenty of opportunities for newcomers, user experience research is a fast-growing field that’s accessible to just about anyone with empathy, curiosity, and a knack for working with people and data—and today’s UX UI certification programs , bootcamps, and communities have the resources you need for success as a UX researcher.

You might also like to read:

UX Design Process: Steps, Importance, & Everything You Should to Know

Essential UX Designer Interview Questions and Answers for 2023

Is UX Design a Good Career for You? 2023 Guide

UX Design Examples: Navigating the Creative Spectrum

14 Best Tools for UX Design: Here’s What You Should Try in 2023

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended Articles

Discover the Best UI/UX Courses for Mastering Design Skills

If you’re looking for online programs to boost your UI/UX design skills and career, you will find a dizzying array of options. This article shares some of the best UI/UX courses available today to help you understand your options.

A Definitive Guide on How To Use Figma

This article teaches you how to use Figma, add images, add text, label elements and make prototypes.

A 2024 Guide to UX UI Design Companies

This article highlights the top UX UI design companies today, including defining them and how to choose the best one for you.

Top UX Designer Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers and Experienced in 2024

Prepare for your UX designer job interview in 2024 with this comprehensive guide. Explore top interview questions and expert answers for both freshers and experienced professionals.

How to Conduct Usability Testing for UI/UX Design

Understand the basics of usability testing for UI/UX design with our simple guide. Get acquainted with its purpose, benefits, types, methods, and examples.

UX Designer Resume Writing Guide With Template

Writing a UX designer resume? Don’t miss our guide with expert tips and a customizable template to elevate your job application.

UX UI Bootcamp

Learning Format

Online Bootcamp

Program benefits.

• Hands-on practical learning experience
• Learn top tools
• Live classes
• UMass Amherst Certificate

What Is User Research, and What Is Its Purpose?

User research, or UX research, is an absolutely vital part of the  user experience design process.

Typically done at the start of a project, it encompasses different types of research methodologies to gather valuable data and feedback. When conducting user research, you’ll engage with and observe your target users, getting to know their needs, behaviors, and pain points in relation to the product or service you’re designing.

Ultimately, user research means the difference between designing based on guesswork and assumptions, and actually creating something that solves a real user problem. In other words: Do not skip the research phase!

If you’re new to user research, fear not. We’re going to explain exactly what UX research is and why it’s so important. We’ll also show you how to plan your user research and introduce you to some key user research methods .

We’ve divided this rather comprehensive guide into the following sections. Feel free to skip ahead using the menu below:

• What is user research?
• What is the purpose of user research?
• How to plan your user research.
• An introduction to different research methods—and when to use them.

Ready? Let’s jump in.

1. What is user research?

User experience research is the systematic investigation of your users in order to gather insights that will inform the design process. With the help of various user research techniques, you’ll set out to understand your users’ needs, attitudes, pain points, and behaviors (processes like task analyses look at how users actually navigate the product experience —not just how they should or how they say they do). 

Typically done at the start of a project—but also extremely valuable throughout—it encompasses different types of research methodology to gather both qualitative and quantitative data in relation to your product or service.

Before we continue, let’s consider the difference between qualitative and quantitative data .

Qualitative vs. Quantitative data: What’s the difference?

Qualitative UX research results in descriptive data which looks more at how people think and feel. It helps to find your users’ opinions, problems, reasons, and motivations. You can learn all about in-depth in this video by professional UX designer Maureen Herben:

Quantitative UX research , on the other hand, generally produces numerical data that can be measured and analyzed, looking more at the statistics. Quantitative data is used to quantify the opinions and behaviors of your users.

User research rarely relies on just one form of data collection and often uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods together to form a bigger picture. The data can be applied to an existing product to gain insight to help improve the product experiences, or it can be applied to an entirely new product or service, providing a baseline for UX, design, and development.

From the data gathered during your user research phase, you should be able to understand the following areas within the context of your product or service:

• Who your users are
• What their needs are
• What they want
• How they currently do things
• How they’d like to do them

As you consider the  why  of user research, remember that it’s easier than you might realize to overlook entire groups of users. It’s important to ensure that you’re conducting inclusive UX research and that starts in the earliest stages!

2. What is the purpose of user research?

The purpose of user research is to put your design project into context. It helps you understand the problem you’re trying to solve; it tells you who your users are, in what context they’ll be using your product or service, and ultimately, what they need from you, the designer! UX research ensures that you are designing with the user in mind, which is key if you want to create a successful product.

Throughout the design process, your UX research will aid you in many ways. It’ll help you identify problems and challenges, validate or invalidate your assumptions, find patterns and commonalities across your target user groups, and shed plenty of light on your users’ needs, goals, and mental models.

Why is this so important? Let’s find out.

Why is it so important to conduct user research?

Without UX research, you are essentially basing your designs on assumptions. If you don’t take the time to engage with real users, it’s virtually impossible to know what needs and pain-points your design should address.

Here’s why conducting user research is absolutely crucial:

User research helps you to design better products!

There’s a misconception that it’s ok to just do a bit of research and testing at the end of your project. The truth is that you need UX research first, followed by usability testing and iteration throughout.

This is because research makes the design better. The end goal is to create products and services that people want to use. The mantra in UX design is that some user research is always better than none .

It’s likely at some point in your UX career that you will come across the first challenge of any UX designer—convincing a client or your team to include user research in a project.

User research keeps user stories at the center of your design process.

All too often, the user research phase is seen as optional or merely “nice-to-have”—but in reality, it’s crucial from both a design and a business perspective. This brings us to our next point…

User research saves time and money!

If you (or your client) decide to skip the research phase altogether, the chances are you’ll end up spending time and money developing a product that, when launched, has loads of usability issues and design flaws, or simply doesn’t meet a real user need. Through UX research, you’ll uncover such issues early on—saving time, money, and lots of frustration!

The research phase ensures you’re designing with real insights and facts — not guesswork! Imagine you release a product that has the potential to fill a gap in the market but, due to a lack of user research, is full of bugs and usability issues. At best, you’ll have a lot of unnecessary work to do to get the product up to scratch. At worst, the brand’s reputation will suffer.

UX research gives the product a competitive edge. Research shows you how your product will perform in a real-world context, highlighting any issues that need to be ironed out before you go ahead and develop it.

User research can be done on a budget

There are ways that you can conduct faster and less costly user research , utilizing Guerrilla research outlined later on in this article (also handy if budget and time are an issue). Even the smallest amount of user research will save time and money in the long run.

The second challenge is how often businesses think they know their users without having done any research. You’ll be surprised at how often a client will tell you that user research is not necessary because they know their users!

In a 2005 survey completed by Bain, a large global management consulting firm, they found some startling results. 80% of businesses thought they knew best about what they were delivering. Only 8% of those businesses’ customers agreed.

The survey may be getting old, but the principle and misperception still persist.

In some cases, businesses genuinely do know their customers and there may be previous data on hand to utilize. However, more often than not, ‘knowing the users’ comes down to personal assumptions and opinions.

“It’s only natural to assume that everyone uses the Web the same way we do, and—like everyone else—we tend to think that our own behavior is much more orderly and sensible than it really is.” (Don’t Make Me Think ‘Revisited’, Steve Krug, 2014.) A must on every UX Designer’s bookshelf!

What we think a user wants is not the same as what a user thinks they want. Without research, we inadvertently make decisions for ourselves instead of for our target audience. To summarize, the purpose of user research is to help us design to fulfill the user’s actual needs, rather than our own assumptions of their needs.

In a nutshell, UX research informs and opens up the realm of design possibilities. It saves time and money, ensures a competitive edge, and helps you to be a more effective, efficient, user-centric designer.

3. How to plan your user research

When planning your user research , it’s good to have a mix of both qualitative and quantitative data to draw from so you don’t run into issues from the value-action gap, which can at times make qualitative data unreliable.

The value-action gap is a well-known psychology principle outlining that people genuinely don’t do what they say they would do, and is commonly referred to as what people say vs. what people do.

More than 60% of participants said they were “likely” or “very likely” to buy a kitchen appliance in the next 3 months. 8 months later, only 12% had. How Customers Think, Gerald Zaltman, 2003

When planning your user research, you need to do more than just User Focus Groups—observation of your users really is the key. You need to watch what your users do.

Part of being a great user researcher is to be an expert at setting up the right questions and getting unbiased answers from your users.

To do this we need to think like the user.

Put yourself in your user’s shoes without your own preconceptions and assumptions on how it should work and what it should be. For this, we need empathy (and good listening skills) allowing you to observe and challenge assumptions of what you already think you know about your users.

Be open to some surprises!

4. When to use different user research methods

There’s a variety of different qualitative and quantitative research methods out there. If you’ve been doing the CareerFoundry UX Design course , you may have already covered some of the list below in your course.

It isn’t an exhaustive list, but covers some of the more popular methods of research. Our student team lead runs through many of them in the video below.

Qualitative Methods:

• Guerrilla testing: Fast and low-cost testing methods such as on-the-street videos, field observations, reviews of paper sketches, or online tools for remote usability testing.
• Interviews: One-on-one interviews that follow a preset selection of questions prompting the user to describe their interactions, thoughts, and feelings in relation to a product or service, or even the environment of the product/service.
• Focus groups: Participatory groups that are led through a discussion and activities to gather data on a particular product or service. If you’ve ever watched Mad Men you’ll be familiar with the Ponds’ cold cream Focus Group !
• Field Studies: Heading into the user’s environment and observing while taking notes (and photographs or videos if possible).
• In-lab testing: Observations of users completing particular tasks in a controlled environment. Users are often asked to describe out loud their actions, thoughts, and feelings and are videoed for later analysis
• Card sorting : Used to help understand Information Architecture and naming conventions better. Can be really handy to sort large amounts of content into logical groupings for users.

Quantitative Methods:

• User surveys: Questionnaires with a structured format, targeting your specific user personas. These can be a great way to get a large amount of data. Surveymonkey is a popular online tool.
• First click testing: A test set up to analyse what a user would click on first in order to complete their intended task. This can be done with paper prototypes, interactive wireframes or an existing website.
• Eye tracking: Measures the gaze of the eye, allowing the observer to ‘see’ what the user sees. This can be an expensive test and heatmapping is a good cheaper alternative.
• Heatmapping: Visual mapping of data showing how users click and scroll through your prototype or website. The most well-known online tool to integrate would be Crazyegg.
• Web analytics: Data that is gathered from a website or prototype it is integrated with, allowing you to see the demographics of users, page views, and funnels of how users move through your site and where they drop off. The most well-known online tool to integrate would be Google Analytics .
• A/B testing: Comparing two versions of a web page to see which one converts users more. This is a great way to test button placements, colors, banners, and other elements in your UI.

Further reading

Now you know what user research is and why it’s so important. If you’re looking for a way to get trained in this particular discipline, there’s good news—owing to demand and popularity, there’s a growing number of UX research bootcamps out there.

If you’d like to learn more about UX research, you may find the following articles useful:

• What Does A UX Researcher Actually Do? The Ultimate Career Guide
• How to Conduct User Research Like a Professional
• How to Build a UX Research Portfolio (Step-by-Step Guide)

User research is the process of understanding the needs, behaviors, and attitudes of users to inform the design and development of products or services. It involves collecting and analyzing data about users through various methods such as surveys, interviews, and usability testing.

2. How to conduct user research?

User research can be conducted through various methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, and usability testing. The method chosen depends on the research goals and the resources available. Typically, user research involves defining research objectives, recruiting participants, creating research protocols, conducting research activities, analyzing data, and reporting findings.

3. Is user research the same as UX?

User research is a part of the broader UX (User Experience) field, but they are not the same. UX encompasses a wide range of activities such as design, testing, and evaluation, while user research specifically focuses on understanding user needs and behaviors to inform UX decisions.

4. What makes good user research?

Good user research is characterized by clear research goals, well-defined research protocols, appropriate sampling methods, unbiased data collection, and rigorous data analysis. It also involves effective communication of research findings to stakeholders, as well as using the findings to inform design and development decisions.

5. Is user research a good career?

User research is a growing field with many opportunities for career growth and development. With the increasing importance of user-centered design, there is a high demand for skilled user researchers in various industries such as tech, healthcare, and finance. A career in user research can be fulfilling for those interested in understanding human behavior and designing products that meet user needs.

UX Researcher Skills

Learn about the skills that will be most essential for UX Researchers in 2024.

Getting Started as a UX Researcher

• What is a UX Researcher
• How To Become
• Certifications
• Tools & Software
• LinkedIn Guide
• Interview Questions
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Goals
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Examples

What Skills Does a UX Researcher Need?

Find the important skills for any job.

Types of Skills for UX Researchers

Empathetic understanding and user advocacy, analytical and critical thinking, technical proficiency and tool mastery, effective communication and storytelling, collaboration and cross-functional teamwork, top hard skills for ux researchers.

Empowering product excellence with robust user research, insightful data analysis, and impactful design strategy.

• User-Centered Design Principles
• Quantitative Research Methods
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Data Analysis and Statistics
• Usability Testing
• Prototyping and Wireframing Tools
• Survey Design and Analysis
• Information Architecture
• Interaction Design
• UX Writing and Content Strategy

Top Soft Skills for UX Researchers

Empowering design with empathy, creativity, and critical thinking to craft user-centric experiences through effective communication and collaboration.

Empathy and User Advocacy

• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Active Listening and Interviewing
• Time Management and Prioritization
• Creativity and Innovative Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence

Storytelling and Persuasion

Most important ux researcher skills in 2024, quantitative and qualitative research methods, collaborative synthesis and ideation, understanding of behavioral psychology, technical proficiency, adaptive research strategies, cross-cultural competence.

Show the Right Skills in Every Application

Ux researcher skills by experience level, important skills for entry-level ux researchers, important skills for mid-level ux researchers, important skills for senior ux researchers, most underrated skills for ux researchers, 1. active listening, 2. cognitive empathy, 3. cross-cultural competence, how to demonstrate your skills as a ux researcher in 2024, how you can upskill as a ux researcher.

• Master Advanced Research Methodologies: Deepen your knowledge of cutting-edge research methods, such as biometric testing and predictive analytics, to uncover deeper user insights.
• Embrace Data Science Fundamentals: Gain proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools to interpret complex user data and convey findings effectively.
• Expand Your Behavioral Psychology Acumen: Study behavioral science to better understand user motivations and improve the predictive power of your research.
• Participate in UX Research Communities: Join online forums, attend meetups, and contribute to discussions to stay connected with industry trends and share best practices.
• Develop Storytelling and Presentation Skills: Enhance your ability to craft compelling narratives around your data that resonate with stakeholders and drive decision-making.
• Engage with Cross-Disciplinary Teams: Collaborate with designers, developers, and business analysts to gain a holistic view of product development and user experience.
• Utilize Mixed Methods Research: Combine qualitative and quantitative research to provide a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and needs.
• Invest in Continuous Learning: Dedicate time to ongoing education through workshops, webinars, and UX conferences to stay abreast of the latest UX tools and techniques.
• Advocate for Ethical Research Practices: Stay informed about ethical considerations in UX research to ensure the integrity and social responsibility of your work.
• Experiment with Emerging Technologies: Explore the use of VR, AR, and AI in UX research to create immersive experiences and anticipate future user interactions.

Skill FAQs for UX Researchers

What are the emerging skills for ux researchers today, how can ux researchers effectivley develop their soft skills, how important is technical expertise for ux researchers.

UX Researcher Education

More Skills for Related Roles

Shaping user experiences through intuitive design, bridging the gap between user and product

Uncovering user insights to shape product experiences, bridging the gap between users and design

Shaping user experiences, transforming ideas into visually compelling products

Unearthing insights and data to drive decision-making, shaping the future of research

Start Your UX Researcher Career with Teal

Senior UX Researcher, Labs

Hinge is the dating app designed to be deleted.

In today's digital world, finding genuine relationships is tougher than ever. At Hinge, we’re on a mission to inspire intimate connection to create a less lonely world. We’re obsessed with understanding our users’ behaviors to help them find love, and our success is defined by one simple metric– setting up great dates. With tens of millions of users across the globe, we’ve become the most trusted way to find a relationship, for all.

About the role

Hinge is hiring a Sr. UX Researcher to be part of our Hinge Labs team, dedicated to leading insights for our marketing initiatives. In this role, you'll support Hinge's marketing and communications efforts, uncovering and socializing key insights used to create global consumer reports and test in-app messaging. You'll work across marketing and product teams, helping to ensure that our initiatives are both data-driven and highly effective. Working here, your research will have meaningful impacts for daters across the globe.

Responsibilities

• Insights Storytelling: Lead insight collection and analysis for all external facing data-driven reports.
• Segmentation & Messaging: Lead quantitative and qualitative research supporting product marketing on in-app messaging and positioning within the product experience, across different audiences.
• Localized Learnings: Develop tailored insights for communications narratives in different international markets in collaboration with marketing managers.
• Strategic Collaborator: Be a cross-discipline connector providing opportunities across marketing and product for inspiration, efficiencies, and collaboration. 
• Marketing Surveys Support: Conduct surveys across a range of initiatives, from social impact campaigns to providing insights to support marketing campaigns and launches.

Within three months we expect you to:

• Develop a strong understanding of storytelling at Hinge and build processes to support that through collaborating on a data-driven consumer-facing story with marketing partners.
• Build strong and collaborative relationships with key team members, including marketing managers in European markets. 
• Develop a research roadmap around key marketing moments in collaboration with marketing partners. 
• Passion and curiosity about dating culture and our mission of inspiring intimate connections to create a less lonely world. 
• 4+ years in a consuming-facing research role, with a speciality in market research.
• Expert insights storyteller with a proven track record of translating insights for consumer facing stories, including in global markets.
• Creative and inclusive collaborator with experience working with marketing teams, including communications, product marketing managers, and brand strategists.
• Mixed methods research expertise including strong quantitative survey experience and rich qualitative experience in in-depth interviews or ethnographic observations.
• Champions team culture in authentic, courageous, and empathic ways.

Salary Range

$159,500.00 - $191,500.00 per year salary

Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary range is reflective of a position based in New York City. This salary will be subject to a geographic adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

Think we ’ d click?

Share this role

Diversity inspires innovation.

Hinge is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity at our company and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We believe success is created by a diverse workforce of individuals with different ideas, strengths, interests, and cultural backgrounds.

We're really good at Laser Tag. We've played twice now and we're very impressive. What I love about our team is that we always make space to celebrate and support each other in and out of work.

Sarah Reneau

Senior UX Research Manager

Do your best work, live your best life

401(k) matching.

We match 100% of the first 10% of pre-tax 401(k) contributions you make, up to a maximum of $10,000 per year.

Professional Growth

Get a $3,000 annual Learning & Development stipend once you’ve been with us for three months. You also get free access to Udemy, an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 6,000 courses, starting your first day.

Parental Leave & Planning

When you become a new parent, you’re eligible for 100% paid parental leave (20 paid weeks for both birth and non-birth parents).

Fertility Support

You and your spouse/domestic partner will get easy access to fertility care through Carrot, which offers convenient access to a range of fertility care options. We offer up to $10,000 to assist with covering fertility expenses, including basic treatments and fertility preservation.

Date Stipend

Hinge employees receive a $100 monthly stipend for epic dates – romantic or otherwise. HingeX is also free for employees and their loved ones.

We have eight Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—Asian, Unapologetic, Disability, LGBTQIA+, Vibras, Women/Nonbinary, Parents, and Remote—that hold regular meetings, host events, and provide dedicated support to the organization & its community.

We pride ourselves on our people. Here’s how we find the best.

A call to get to know each other..

Transparency, candor and humility allow us to focus on delivering outstanding results without getting distracted by ego, gossip or politics.

The skills interview.

Breakthroughs require our willingness to take risks. We strive toward audacious goals, expecting and persevering through setbacks and failures along the way.

The narrative interview.

We remember we’re all human beings first. We keep in mind who we’re serving. We listen humbly and openly. We speak and act with kindness and care. We practice radical inclusion.

The culture interview.

Making an offer., what you’ll love about our new york office..

We believe in the power of in-person connection. For full-time and hybrid employees, Hinge HQ is a place to collaborate and get to know each other.

Catered Lunches

Commuter Benefits

All-Gender Restrooms

Nursing & Wellness Rooms

Do you think we’d click?

If you’re passionate about inspiring intimate connections, join us.

We found some other roles you might be interested in

Lead content designer, lead product manager, safety, lead technical product manager, notification platform, you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers, what does hinge’s relationship with match group mean.

In early 2019, Hinge was fully acquired by Match Group. Founder and CEO, Justin McLeod, still leads an executive team that sets the overall mission and vision for Hinge as well as our working norms, policies and day-to-day priorities. While certain corporate functions are managed at the MG portfolio level, working for Hinge is intentionally a unique experience.

TLDR: We get the best of both worlds! Hinge still gets to operate like a small company, and we have the stability and resources of a much larger legacy company that has stood the test of time.

I’ve never used Hinge before. Am I still a fit for this role?

Of course! Having used Hinge or any other dating app is definitely not a requirement. That being said, we are looking for team members who genuinely believe our product can and will help people all over the world connect. Our team is passionate about the dating industry and we hope you’ll be passionate about it too!

What requirements are there for in-office and hybrid roles?

Hybrid roles at Hinge are based in NYC and require weekly presence in our Meatpacking District office. The team values in-person collaboration and we hope to see everyone in our beautiful office space three days a week starting Fall of 2023. Each team will have some freedom to determine what works best for them, but we generally aim for consistent in-office days to maximize the opportunity to collaborate.

TLDR: Beautiful working spaces, lots of plants, even more food and snacks, dog friendly - 3 days a week :)

What can I expect from Hinge’s culture?

Relationships are at the core of everything we do.

And not just the romantic kind. We can’t accomplish really hard things alone—so we make great relationships the foundation of our teamwork.

We believe our three core values. Authenticity, Courage, and Empathy are what it takes to build those great relationships.

How many people currently work at Hinge?

We are growing each week, but last time we checked, more than 320 talented and beautiful souls are a part of the Hinge team across all of our departments.

How does compensation work?

Paying our people fairly and equitably is really important to us! We offer packages with three types of compensation depending on role type and level. Most compensation packages at Hinge consist of base salary, annual bonus target percentage and equity in the form of MTCH stock.

Skip navigation

World Leaders in Research-Based User Experience

Job opening: design assistants (undergraduate and graduate, remote) 2024.

Announcements

Job Title Design Assistant

Application Deadline August 30, 2024

Location United States

About NN/g Nielsen Norman Group is a UX research and consulting firm trusted by leading organizations world-wide to provide reliable guidance on user experience. NN/g provides evidence-based user experience research, training, and consulting. The founders, Don Norman and Jakob Nielsen, are recognized around the world for their leadership in defining the field of UX.

Role Description Nielsen Norman Group is looking for a talented design assistant to join the team. As a design assistant, you will work alongside the design team to communicate complex UX topics through visuals and thumbnails and complete tasks that help strengthen NN/g’s brand identity. This individual must have strong visual design skills, some knowledge of UX and a high capacity to learn.

Responsibilities You will be involved in the following areas:

• Creating weekly social media imagery & Instagram posts
• Editing virtual conference group photos
• Creating and updating presentation decks
• Creating templates for graphs and charts
• Working with the design team to create functional prototypes for usability testing
• Designing new NN/g swag

Needs + Skills

• Undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled at a university or college pursuing a degree in visual design, graphic design, interaction design, or a related field. Expected graduation date of December 2024 or later
• Strong visual design skills
• Comfortable using Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator & Photoshop)
• Able to translate article content into easy-to-understand Instagram posts
• Able to create high-fidelity prototypes using Figma (or the ability to learn Figma)
• Able to solve problems and quickly adapt to feedback

Application Information Please submit an application  with your portfolio and resume to be considered for this role.

Compensation & Perks Base pay is just one component of NN/g’s total compensation. Position benefits include:

• Hourly base pay dependent on location and experience
• Attend UX trainings and receive NN/g UX Certification (valued at $7,000)
• Fully remote position
• Flexible schedule to accommodate rigorous demands of school schedule (10-40 hours per week)
• Hardware, software, and office expenses fully covered
• Opportunity to film videos that will be posted on NN/g’s website (travel + food expenses covered)
• Team of mentors committed to your success