Have you ever wondered what separates the good UX researchers from the GREAT ones?
I’ve had a lot of people ask me about how to “move up the ladder” in the UX world.
And most people think it’s purely based on your technical abilities — how good of a researcher you are.
But as someone who has both been a senior UX researcher, as well as mentored students who went on to become senior UX researchers…
I can say that one of the most important factors is not just your research skills (although that’s important too)…
But your leadership skills.
In fact, I’d argue that being a great UX researcher is about 50% technical skills and 50% leadership skills.
That’s why I don’t just talk about becoming a badass UX researcher… but becoming a badass UX leader.
Because as a UX researcher, your job isn’t just to conduct research and generate insights.
It’s to drive change, influence decisions, and shape product strategy.
And to do that effectively, you need leadership skills.
Even if you know the “technical” parts like the back of your hand…
You still need to know:
- How to persuasively present findings in a way that inspires action
- How to convince product managers to allow for research if they think it isn’t necessary or is too time consuming
- How to deal with leaders who seemingly aren’t facilitating research within the product… and help push those efforts forward
- How to deal with difficult stakeholders, and what to do when they disagree with your research results (and how to defend your research when they try and discredit it)
- How to navigate office politics, communicate effectively, and build relationships across your organization
- Sometimes…even how to handle conflict with other researchers, too! It’s not just our stakeholders whom we might bump heads with.
- …And whole lot of other leadership-related things
You get the idea.
I’ve experienced ALL of these…FIRST HAND. Someone even told me “How do you have 10 years of experience? You look like you’re 12!” Ageism at its finest.
Hey, Asian don’t raisin!
But all these situations really impact you and your work.
All of these require leadership skills that go way beyond your technical research abilities.
THIS is the stuff they don’t teach you in school. (And I argue, nobody teaches in general… since I’m sure we’ve all seen so-called “leaders” squabble and not acting like true leaders.)
Research and leadership are two sides of the same coin – like yin and yang. You need both.
You could have researched your heart out, but if your research doesn’t influence others to drive change, it’s like your research never happened.
And ANYONE can become a leader. It’s a skillset you can learn, and you don’t have to be a “natural” leader to do it.
And yet, most degrees, courses, and programs completely ignore this critical aspect of the job.
They’ll teach you how to conduct usability tests or run a survey…
But they won’t teach you how to handle a stakeholder who disagrees with your findings.
Or how to build relationships across the organization to increase your influence.
Or how to present your insights in a way that inspires action.
These leadership skills are often the difference between a good UX researcher and a GREAT one.
It’s why some UX researchers struggle to make an impact and get noticed… while others become invaluable leaders and respected experts in their team.
So if you want to become the best UX researcher you can be (and advance your career much faster)…
Then it’s important to focus on developing your leadership skills just as much as your research skills.
That’s why I’ve dedicated a huge chunk of my Self-Paced Masterclass to leadership, stakeholder management, communication, influence, storytelling, and many other leadership-related skills.
Because I want to prepare you for the FULL role of a UX researcher, not just the technical parts.
(But of course, you’ll also acquire expert-level knowledge on all the technical parts too — including research methodologies, experimental design, quantitative and qualitative analysis, advanced survey techniques, and cutting-edge UX strategies that no one else is teaching. This comprehensive approach ensures you’re equipped to handle any UX challenge that comes your way.)
So if you want to become an expert UX researcher AND a badass UX leader…
Go here to get access to the Zero to UX Self-Paced Masterclass (50% off)
Mad love,
Kevin