Is the job title “UX Research” Holding Us Back?

I recently saw an interesting post from a UX researcher asking about diversifying our craft given the current state of the industry:

As they put it:

And the context around the question was…you guessed it: the ECONOMY.

*sigh* I completely understand. The market is so bad it’s got us angsty and uncertain about UXR as a career.

Here’s my hot take:

“UX Research” is literally the worst title for our profession.

What we do is ALREADY super diversified.

Just think about it:

• Research, data collection, synthesis, analytics (whether you’re qual or quant is irrelevant, but obviously better to have both skills)
• High-level strategy, to low-level tactics
• Competitive landscape analysis, SWOT
• Project management, recruitment, operations
• PRODUCT management (really, take any intro course to product management, it’s literally so surface level compared to what UXRs need to do)
• Cat-herding aka alignment and stakeholder communication
• Leading and facilitating workshops for various purposes
• Using data to influence copy, design, marketing, entire business strategies, literally EVERYTHING

TELL ME that it isn’t diversified.

These aren’t just “UX research skills” – they’re foundational skills that are valuable in MANY different roles and industries, including:

• Market research
• Product management
• Business analysis
• UX leadership
• Consulting
• Starting your own business

…And in countless other fields.

I’m NOT saying we shouldn’t continue broadening our skillset.

I’m saying that if the market is the only reason we’re considering diversifying skills, that’s like playing catch up all the time.

We can’t time the market’s ups and downs. We should have these fundamentals down PAT.

UXR, as I have said again and again, has been around forever! It just wasn’t CALLED UX research. I actually think the title is doing us a HUGE disservice.

The title seems to have pigeonholed us.

Our teammates, businesses, people unfamiliar with UX in general, have NO IDEA what we do and we spend all day trying to convince them we’re useful.

That’s why, when I work with startups, I NEVER pitch UX to them. I never even mention those two letters.

We are, for simplicity (and for better or for worse), “business consultants” with a huge emphasis on customer needs and psychology.

That’s what I’ve ALWAYS been saying, and that’s what my hunch told me even from the beginning when I transitioned into UXR (remember my Youtube video where I spent time learning consulting skills?).

And for those unfamiliar with UX, the biggest danger is being perceived as a “one trick pony” in the sense of sticking to a single research skillset or method (like usability testing).

::

It reminds me of one of my favorite stories about Bruce Lee, one of the most influential martial artists of all time.

Bruce famously said:

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own.”

When he developed his martial art, Jeet Kune Do, Bruce didn’t stick to one rigid style.

Instead, he diversified his approach, pulling techniques from boxing, fencing, wrestling, and traditional martial arts.

His belief? Rigid specialization limits you, but adaptability makes you unstoppable.

::

And that’s exactly what UX researchers need in today’s market.

The researchers who stand out are the ones who adapt and diversify their skillset – drawing from fields like psychology, data analysis, business strategy, and leadership, ultimately to become something like a “product-service-UX-researcher-business-strategist”.

Yeah. Not the best title I admit, but THAT’S WHAT WE ARE.

Our skillset is incredibly transferable!!

This is why I’m a big believer in taking a “full stack” 360 degree approach to UX research education.

And that’s exactly why I designed my courses to go far beyond just the basic technical skills. IT IS THIS DIVERSIFICATION THAT HAS HELPED MY GRADUATES PREPARE FOR ANYTHING.

The problem some people think is that it’s for newbies, maybe the title “Zero to UX” isn’t the best for this image either 😅 But I made sure it is MASTERING the skills as a “product-service-UX-researcher-business-strategist” so you can be prepared to go anywhere.

I go DEEP into advanced strategies, covering a broad range of synergistic topics, with the most rigorous curriculum in the UXR industry.

(That’s why it took me 6 years to make it lol.)

I want to help you develop a highly valuable, highly transferable skillset that will serve you well no matter where your career takes you.

My mission was NEVER to develop just a junior-level understanding. My mission was always to develop strong, confident, badass UX LEADERS.

So if you’re looking to develop skills that will be valuable in ANY direction you choose to go…

Then I invite you to check out my Ultimate UX Research Bundle – which contains my complete system for mastering ALL aspects of UX research.

>> Go here to get access to the Ultimate UX Research Bundle