User Researcher

Job Description:

User researchers collect, analyse and test data to design websites, software and applications based on user needs.

Job Category:

IT Industry

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What you will do:

On a daily basis you could:

plan and design user research testing sessions
recruit users for testing sessions and carry out research
get an understanding of users’ needs, motivations and any problems with a service or product
use research results to identify new product and design ideas
work as part of a large product development team
help colleagues understand user behaviours
present user insights to project stakeholders at all levels

Skills:

You’ll need:

knowledge of English language
maths knowledge
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

As well as:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
analytical thinking skills
the ability to use your initiative (drive)
the ability to work well with others (teamwork)
to be flexible and open to change (adaptable)
excellent verbal communication skills

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

a university course
applying directly
a graduate training scheme

University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

psychology
human computer interaction (HCI)
digital marketing
product design
graphic design

Volunteering
You can volunteer at user research sessions to get some experience. This will be useful, especially if you do not have a degree.

You can also get involved in the online user experience (UX) community and find a mentor to help you.

Direct Application
You can apply directly to user research or digital design companies, or go through a specialist agency.

To apply, you’ll need experience in:

user-centred design practices
running user research sessions in person and online
different user research methods
presenting user research findings in different formats

Other Routes
You could apply for a place on a user research or marketing company’s graduate training scheme if you have a degree, for example in digital marketing or product design.

Career tips
It will be useful if you have experience of working in agile project development.

It will also help if you have a portfolio to show examples of your work to employers.

Working Hours and Environment:

You could work in an office, at a client’s business or from home.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience, you could move into a management role and supervise a team of user researchers. You could also work on larger, more complicated projects as a head of user experience or research.

You could become a business analyst, or product or service designer.