I share my experiences and ideas in the introduction to each chapter and throughout the book, but I also open the floor to many additional (and sometimes conflicting) perspectives. The world of user research is multifaceted, complex, and sometimes contradictory. The best way to understand the nuances of user research is to learn from other practitioners, and scores of research professionals share what they know within Research Practice.
Chapter I: Finding A Way In
- I had to become a user researcher | Jess Greco
- How I made my way into user research | Nikki Anderson
- The scientific method is the process that keeps on giving | Janelle Ward
- Shaking the guilt of leaving academia | Torang Asadi
- What’s a psychologist doing in tech? | Noam Segal
- Applying a social science lens in research | Amy Santee
- Being a social scientist in research | Jesse Zolna
- Adventures of a curious mind | Kelly Silver
- Embracing the messenger | Michael Morgan
- Always design thinking | Gregg Bernstein
- On a career in mixed methods research | From a conversation with Matt Arnold
- How people end up in research | Gregg Bernstein
Chapter II: Getting Started In A New Role
- What mission will your research advance? | Noam Segal
- Why organizations hire user researchers | Gregg Bernstein
- The best place to get started | From a conversation with Janine Coover
- One thing people entering the field should know | Gregg Bernstein
- What I wish I had known | Sarah Jones
- The interview process is a compelling research question | Maura Youngman
- Considering a UX research opportunity | Gregg Bernstein
- Research to the rescue | Jess Greco
- Assessing UX maturity | Nikki Anderson
- Congratulations, you’re hired! Now where do you start? | Marianne Berkovich
- A 90-day (and beyond) plan for a research team of one | Snigdha Diehl
- Finding quick wins | Gregg Bernstein
- Building partnerships to leverage feedback for impact | Christiana Lackner
Chapter III: Building Momentum
- Reframing decision-making | Jess Greco
- Bringing the org chart to life | Gregg Bernstein
- An alliance of perspectives | Steph Troeth
- User research and data science are actually BFFs | Roy Opate Olende
- Working with data scientists, analysts, and market researchers | From a conversation with Lauren Isaacson
- The relationship between research and design | From a conversation with Aras Bilgen
- Bridging the gap between product and research teams | Asha Scott-Morris
- An exercise for setting your project up for success | Amber Davis
- A process for any research project | Stephanie Pratt
- Gumption and tact | Michael Morgan
- Preparing stakeholders to be flexible | From a conversation with Janine Coover
- Dealing with difficult stakeholders | From a conversation with Nikki Anderson
- Choosing an approach—to embed or not | Gregg Bernstein
- Aiming for embedded research | Dylan Blanchard
Chapter IV: Sharing The Work
- What is the purpose of user research? | Gregg Bernstein
- Giving research a voice | Laura Macmillan
- A layered approach to building research awareness | Emma McCabe
- Make it fun: building in-office and remote research awareness | Sarah Jones
- Back to basics: building awareness through education | Stephanie Pratt
- Lessons from creating research lessons | Ane Sharma and Kathleen Asjes
- Sharing findings for maximum impact | Aras Bilgen
- Just give me the headline | Gregg Bernstein
- Always write a topline | Lauren Isaacson
- Walking along the quant/qual border | Torang Asadi
- Sharing findings and insights | Krista Plano and Nikki Anderson
- Giving organizational knowledge a home | From a conversation with Matthew Eng
- Preserving the user’s voice | Mila Djordjevic
Chapter V: Expanding Your Practice
- What makes a user research leader? | Steph Troeth
- Getting a research practice off the ground | From a conversation with Matthew Eng
- Building a business versus building an empire | Yelena Cope
- Measuring impact | Gregg Bernstein
- Making everyone a researcher | Carol Rossi
- Hiring a research team | From a conversation with Alex Wright
- Hiring without fear | Carol Rossi
- The cover letter filter | Gregg Bernstein
- Hiring for a successful research practice | Noam Segal
- When is it time for research operations? | Brigette Metzler
Chapter VI: Overcoming Challenges
- Resilience in the face of loneliness | Lindsay Ferris
- Isolation and imposter syndrome | From conversations with Krista Plano and Lauren Isaacson
- The imposter syndrome never wears off | Maura Youngman
- Research isn’t strictly the domain of the trained researcher | From a conversation with Aras Bilgen
- Convincing stakeholders to trust you | From a conversation with Matt Arnold
- Invalidating with research | Maura Youngman
- You don’t always have to get out of the building | Noam Segal
- Generating the case for generative research | Gregg Bernstein
- Learning how decisions are made | Steph Troeth
- Speaking truth to power | Jess Greco
- Answering a really large question | From a conversation with Cyd Harrell
- Ethics for researchers | From a conversation with Danielle Smith
Chapter VII: Where To Go Next
- What is the career ladder for user researchers? | Gregg Bernstein
- Finding your career path | Danielle Smith
- Knowing when to stay or leave | Diana Sapanaro and Hannah Moyers
- When it’s time to leave your current role or organization | From conversations with Cyd Harrell and Krista Plano
- Where research leaders go next | From conversations with Alex Wright and Nikki Anderson