Tips for Breaking Into User Research
Still in school? Want to change course? Microsoft leaders offer their advice for beginning a career in user research.
My knowledge about the user research field was pretty slim before I started writing for Microsoft. During my recent visit to Redmond, WA, I interviewed Microsoft Research + Insight (R+I) leaders to gather advice for fellow user research newcomers who were either still in school or thinking about changing careers.
Here’s what they had to say.
1. Stay curious
Senior User Researcher Lori Birtley has been at Microsoft for 21 years, and she has seen a lot of change in that time — and worked with a lot of user researchers in many different capacities. “Always be open to learning, because there are always new things to learn, whether it’s techniques or a particular area you’re working in,” she told me. “Build your tool kit of the tools and techniques that you need to know, and be really good at using those. Then, just be really open to applying them in a lot of different areas.”
As a user researcher, your job is to pursue the truth and make your customers’ lives better. Principal User Research Manager Ray Salas encourages new user researchers to “push yourself and those around you to resist bias and half-truths. This will enable an opportunity where you can push for meaningful and measurable impact.”
In short? Never stop learning, and always strive to get to the root of a customer’s issue or problem so you can put the right pieces in place to solve it.
2. Know your direction
When you’re finishing college or considering changing careers, it’s easy to picture the future you think you’ll have. That said, getting stuck in that vision could limit your potential in user research.
“One piece of advice is to not be too dogmatic,” said Michael Van Waardhuizen, Senior User Research Lead and Manager of the Microsoft R+I FAST team. “Sometimes people have very set plans about how their career should go, and that can be a good thing, but it might limit you from considering specific opportunities that come up. It is better to know your direction and to just see where that goes sometimes. Be passionate. Be passionate about the area, but not about being in a specific niche.”
And how do you find which area you’re most passionate about? “Get practical experience at multiple companies,” said Mike Bortnick, Principal User Research Manager. “It will help you shape the direction of the discipline, and the practice.”
3. Be brave
Imposter syndrome is real, and it can limit your potential if you let it affect how you approach user research. Don’t let it.
“You always have something to contribute, even if you’re completely new or inexperienced,” Arathi Sethumadhavan, Senior User Research Manager, explained.
“So what if you’re new? Don’t let that hold you back. Always look for interesting ways you can contribute.”
Your colleagues want to know what you’re thinking. Who knows — maybe your way of looking at or approaching a situation will bring about a solution no one’s yet thought of. Isn’t that how most brilliant new insights are made?
4. Embrace collaboration
Customer obsession at scale isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Working together not only makes your lives easier, but also makes for a much more pleasant workday.
“If I’m able to share a story around the user experience that’s not solely from my one perspective but brings in other teams, it has so much more weight,” explained Nancy Perry, Principal User Research Manager. “It’s about using your partnerships, looking for common goals, and being able to come with consolidated stories. That’s helped me have more impact.”
Principal User Research Manager Emily Downing offered a reminder, too, that we’re all on the same team. “Empathy is always righteous,” she said. “Have empathy for your stakeholder. This makes you better because you’re able to think about how to effectively land your insights, and it also demystifies the relationship and hierarchy that can sometimes exist. We all want the same thing here, and once you realize that, it really is empowering.”
5. Think big
The problems of the future will be much bigger than they are today. Customers — and your product teams, stakeholders, and partners — will need you more than you can imagine from your place in your college classroom or your desk at your old career.
“If you have solid fundamentals in one area (social sciences, computer science, design, business), read read read about the others,” suggested Matt Duignan, Principal User Research Manager. “Volunteer to run usability studies on a small business’s website, or investigate their users’ needs. Design a controlled experiment. Read a stats textbook or an introduction to typography. Sign up as a participant on usertesting.com.” Immersing yourself in the world around you will broaden your experience and knowledge.
“Every seemingly scoped usability study is an opportunity to learn something bigger about user needs, habits, or beliefs. You may be able to uncover the next big product opportunity or answer foundational questions about your users if you keep your eye on the big picture.”
Getting a degree in sociology or another social science and then trying to adapt to all these other disciplines and ways of thinking won’t solve the problems that are coming. Instead, think about how you can apply what you learn in broad contexts, using mixed methods. You’ll be in a much better position to explore situations, connect with customers, and deliver insights that change lives for the better.
“User research is about a lot more than just research,” said R+I Partner Director Joe Munko. “It is about activating the work, integrating it into product plans and processes, and measuring its success with customers!”
