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Navigating the world of UX Research: What I wish I knew in grad school
5 pieces of advice for aspiring & early-career UX researchers
What advice would you give your past self? Recently I was preparing for a guest lecture to a group of students about lessons I’ve learned working as a UX Researcher. When thinking about what to share, I asked, “What do I wish I could have told myself in grad school?”
For context, I attended NC State University’s graduate school to get a Ph.D. in Human Factors. I entered the program knowing that I wanted to work in the UX Research industry, and would choose to do it all again if I had to. The close relationship between the fields of HF and UX, the exposure to interdisciplinary perspectives, training in usability theory & evaluation, and experience applying research methods gave me skills and knowledge that directly transferred to a role as a UX researcher.
Even still, there were a few things I could have done to be better prepared for my industry career.
After looking back at my time as a PhD student, I realized there were five pieces of advice I wish I had followed sooner. Whether you’re considering UX research as a profession or starting your career, I hope these reflections resonate with you and help you navigate the road ahead.
1. Get comfortable explaining research to non-researchers
In grad school, I was surrounded by really bright researchers. Day-to-day conversations included chit-chat about what we were working on in our studies. This environment gets you used to speaking about research with a knowledgeable audience. One thing I wish I had started practicing sooner is explaining research to less expert audiences.
Learning to communicate research and UX concepts to those from other backgrounds is an essential skill for many reasons:
- Multidisciplinary Teams | UX research is a collaborative effort that involves working with designers, developers, PMs, and other groups who may not have a background in research (or user experience). Effective communication helps bridge potential knowledge gaps between these roles and ensures your project teams remain on the same page.
