Skill Profile
UX Research
"Planning and running studies—interviews, usability tests, surveys, field observations—with real users to inform design decisions with evidence rather than assumption."
YOUR SKILLS
Problems This Skill Solves
- Teams building features nobody asked for because decisions were based on internal opinion, not user evidence
- Usability issues discovered only after launch, at high cost to fix
- Conflicting stakeholder opinions about what users want with no data to arbitrate
- Accessibility or edge-case needs overlooked because research only covered a narrow user group
UX research is just asking users what they want.
Users are often poor at predicting their own future behaviour—good research observes actual behaviour and pain points, not just stated preferences.
You need hundreds of participants for valid results.
Usability research on 5-8 representative users typically surfaces the majority of major usability issues.
Research & Outlook
AI-assisted synthesis tools now auto-transcribe and theme interview data, cutting analysis time, but recruiting real, representative participants and framing the right research question remain firmly human skills.
See This Skill In Action
Watch a professional demonstrate UX Research in a real working environment — what it looks like, how it's applied, and why it matters.
Design / UX
UX Research
Also Known As
Growth Path
Runs a moderated usability test from a script and summarises basic findings.
Selects the right method for a given question, recruits appropriate participants and synthesises findings into actionable insights.
Builds a research strategy across a product roadmap, mixes qualitative and quantitative methods, and influences leadership decisions with evidence.
How to Practise
- 1.Run five moderated usability tests on an existing product and write up findings as an insight report
- 2.Design and pilot a screener survey to recruit the right participants for a study
- 3.Practise affinity-mapping raw interview notes into themes on a whiteboard or Miro
- 4.Conduct a heuristic evaluation of a live product against Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics
How to Prove
- ·A research repository or portfolio of studies with methodology, findings and design impact documented
- ·Evidence that a specific research finding changed a shipped design decision
- ·A recognised UX research qualification or completed bootcamp with a capstone project