Getting Started in User Experience and Design Research

Learn about User Research

Your first challenge is to do as much self-education as you can. This means learning about how UX Research works in practice and getting a feel for how product design, product development, and human-centered design work. Depending on your background, this can help you:

Networking and the Research Community

Nothing beats networking. It is a great way to learn about the field, figure out where your gaps are and prepare yourself for putting your best foot forward when you get interviews.

Training and skill development

Many people have either stumbled or hustled into a UX role and come from a wide range of backgrounds. It isn’t always easy, but it certainly can be done. That said, there are programs that may make the transition easier. You have a lot of potential options, so it is worth…

Applying for a UX Research Job

You’ve done the research, read the books, and you feel ready to start applying to jobs. Great! Now you need to have a solid resume and portfolio as well as start preparing for interviews. To be honest, we both don’t have online portfolios — we’ve just used old-fashioned…

Yikes, now I have a job!

No matter your background starting a new UX research job can feel a bit like jumping into the deep end. There are some familiar challenges that a lot of us faced. Even experienced researchers can stumble navigating new organizations and contexts when they first arrive. Here are some…

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to learn Sketch, Figma, Photoshop etc.?

Growing as a researcher

The first few weeks or even months of working as a UX researcher can be stressful and exciting. There’s lots to learn and understanding any new organization can be a challenge. Sooner or later, you are going to have to start considering what comes next. Sometimes that means growing…