UX Research Function
The user researcher helps explore user and business problems to innovate with user-centered design processes.
Last updated
The user researcher helps explore user and business problems to innovate with user-centered design processes.
Last updated
A role is not a person! Learn more about Function vs. Commitment vs. Person here.
UX Research is the study of how humans interact with the world. It involves building experiments and testing assumptions to be able to problem-solve. UX researchers ensure that products and services deliver the best experiences for users and for the business by understanding the current state of user experiences and business needs.
Who "Wears the Hats" at companies for UX research functions? It depends!
Here's a visual breakdown of commitments:
Some companies have three separate people dedicated to specific functions: one only doing UX design, one only doing UX research, and one doing only UX writing.
Some companies have one UX writing person, and one person who handles both UX design and UX writing.
Some companies have one person who handles all functions: UX design, UX research, and UX writing.
Some companies have one person who handles UX design and UX research, one person who handles UX research, and one person who handles UX writing with UX research. This is the most Agile cross-functional setup there is.
In Tech Fleet project training, a UX research function does research and collaborates with other UX functions in research.
There is a function that handles UX design and UX research, a function who handles UX research, and one function who handles UX writing with UX research. This is the most Agile cross-functional setup possible because everyone is contributing to success of UX outcomes. No silos.
The UX Research Position typically owns the UX research commitments.
Collaboration with UX design and UX writing
Evaluative Research
Generative Research
Research Analysis
UX strategic decision making
Strategizing about how to turn research into usable solutions
Creating research test plans
Performing research
Recruiting for research
Presenting research results
Analyzing research
Deciding research priorities
Here are some RACI charts depicting the daily tasks that a UX research function is responsible for, and how they work with other teams:
You like defining the "big picture"
You like systems thinking
You enjoy creative problem-solving
With the Client - take feedback from the client about the work being produced
With Product Strategy - drive the priorities of requirements and collaborate with product ownership functions to refine requirements
With the Project Management - provide information about the progress of the project from the UX research standpoint
With UX Writing - drive the priorities of writing based on the UX research needs, and produce UX writing in collaboration with UX writing teams
With Development - drive the priorities and requirements of development based on the UX research
Perform exploratory and evaluative UX research each sprint, and deliver results the entire project
Work with product strategy to consult in user needs for the product vision based on research
Further exploration of user needs, behaviors, and problems to solve based on the previous phase
Perform discovery that may lead to adjustments to the vision and scope
Validate the solutions being proposed with audiences throughout the project
Work in collaboration with the product strategy team to refine requirements and plan upcoming sprint work
Research plans
Research analysis
Research reports
Research priorities
