How to become a UX Researcher

Becoming a UX Researcher is an in-demand career path. It requires deep expertise in UX Research and a strong network to carry you along. Here are some resources to help you on your journey.

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Why should you become a 
UX Researcher?

UX Researcher

Demand for experts in UX Research is growing rapidly. Companies are looking for people with deep expertise in the field of UX Research to help them build their products and services.

As a result, UX Researchers are in high demand and command high salaries. According to leading sources, the median salary for a UX Researcher is $86,000 and a senior UX Researcher can earn up to $112,000. Even entry-level positions can command great salaries.

No wonder that interest in a career in UX Research is growing rapidly. Explore the resources below to learn more about how to become a UX Researcher.

Best books to build UX Research understanding.

A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build deeper understanding and also act as a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.

These are our and our experts top picks to get started building career-relevant skills.

The User Experience Team of One

The User Experience Team of One

The User Experience Team of One prescribes a range of approaches that have big impact and take less time and fewer resources than the standard lineup of UX deliverables. Whether you want to cross over into user experience or you're a seasoned practitioner trying to drag your organization forward, this book gives you tools and insight for doing more with less.

Just Enough Research

Just Enough Research

Good research is about asking more and better questions, and thinking critically about the answers. Done well, it will save your team time and money by reducing unknowns and creating a solid foundation to build the right thing, in the most effective way.

Erika Hall distills her experience into a guidebook of trusted research methods you can implement right away, no matter what size tea…

User Research: Improve Product and Service Design

User Research: Improve Product and Service Design

User experience research, also known as UX research, focuses on understanding user behaviours, needs and motivations through a range of observational techniques, task analysis and other methodologies. User Research is a practical guide that shows readers how to use the vast array of user research methods available. Written by one of the UK's leading UX research professionals, readers can benef…

UX Research: Practical Techniques for Designing Better Products

UX Research: Practical Techniques for Designing Better Products

One key responsibility of product designers and UX practitioners is to conduct formal and informal research to clarify design decisions and business needs. But there’s often mystery around product research, with the feeling that you need to be a research Zen master to gather anything useful. Fact is, anyone can conduct product research. With this quick reference guide, you’ll learn a common la…

Think Like a UX Researcher

Think Like a UX Researcher

Think Like a UX Researcher will challenge your preconceptions about user experience (UX) research and encourage you to think beyond the obvious. You’ll discover how to plan and conduct UX research, analyze data, persuade teams to take action on the results and build a career in UX. The book will help you take a more strategic view of product design so you can focus on optimizing the user’s exp…

Building User Research Teams ( Advanced )

Building User Research Teams ( Advanced )

Starting or growing a research team? Upgrade your UX Research and make successful products. Successful products require good decisions. Good decisions need good information. User researchers run robust and repeatable studies to find that information, but they need some tools and support to get started.

Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field ( Advanced )

Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field ( Advanced )

While other research books offer standard operating procedures, this book provides something more durable in the real world. It’s a practical field guide that will give you the encouragement to get started, no matter what your background. Research Practice captures the day-to-day of the practice of user research—what it looks like to work with peers and stakeholders, to raise awareness of rese…

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Courses to deepen your UX Research skills.

These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are usually accompanied by projects and a learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.

Our experts recommend these courses, from free selections to paid programs.

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts is the fourth course in a certificate program that will equip you with the skills you need to apply to entry-level jobs in user experience (UX) design. In this course, you will learn how to plan and conduct a usability study to gather feedback about designs. Then, you will modify your low-fidelity designs based on insights from your research.

UX Research for Beginners

UX Research for Beginners

Welcome to your UX Research for Beginners Course. In the following six tutorials, you'll get a thorough introduction to UX research, from its definition, areas and origins through to the skills you need to build a professional portfolio and become a UX researcher. Each UX research tutorial consists of a video introduction, comprehensive text, interactive quiz and an optional practical task. Le…

User Experience Research and Design Specialization

User Experience Research and Design Specialization

Integrate UX Research and UX Design to create great products through understanding user needs, rapidly generating prototypes, and evaluating design concepts. Learners will gain hands-on experience with taking a product from initial concept, through user research, ideation and refinement, formal analysis, prototyping, and user testing, applying perspectives and methods to ensure a great user ex…

NN/g UX Certification

NN/g UX Certification

Prove that you successfully completed UX training. With a customizable curriculum and flexible schedule, NN/g's UX Certification has helped thousands of professionals build UX skills or start their careers.

Becoming a UX Strategist

Becoming a UX Strategist

As the User Experience profession continues to mature, new and exciting career opportunities are emerging. In this course we’ll explore the developing role of the UX Strategist. We’ll look at how it’s different from other UX roles. We’ll map out who UX Strategists typically work for and collaborate with. We’ll also review emerging standards, skills, and knowledge UX Strategists need to master…

Get the guidance you need to become a UX Researcher

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!

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Hello future mentee! If you are looking for someone who knows about starting a business, corporate UX research, or SAS sales then look no more. I am passionate about innovation, especially in the fields of education and healthcare and have a deep knowledge of new and emerging technologies. If you …

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Hello! I am a HCI/UX researcher passionate about building systems or products that are meaningful to the users. I am a UX Researcher 2 at Microsoft working on Azure products. I completed my Ph.D. in Information Science at the College of Computing and Informatics at Drexel University, Philadelphia. During my …

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With over 20 years of hands-on experience, I have worked in start-up, agile, agency and enterprise orgs. My journey includes: * Establishing UX Research practices from scratch * Growing and maturing a UX Research team * Creation and maintenance of research libraries and insights for retrieval * Deep experience with …

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Hi there! My name is Jeremy, and I am a Principal UX Researcher with a decade of experience in the industry. With a unique blend of expertise in UX research and a strong foundation in Neuroscience, I am passionate about understanding the intricacies of human behavior to design impactful, user-centered …

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My name is Gary and I am a UX researcher. I have transitioned to UX research and I can guide you to understand the UX research market and how to navigate it. I can also help with immigration and how to go about finding a new job in Canada.

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I'm not your typical UX researcher! I transitioned from the world of finance, armed with a strong work ethic and a thirst for user-centricity. This, coupled with my Master's in Human-Computer Interaction Design, set me on a path to success in the exciting field of UX research. My journey has …

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