Put research ops on center stage

Plus, dive into the history of CUE studies and get a refresher on how to ace the whiteboard challenge.

Envision brighter research ops Research operations is a feature of the most mature UX orgs and teams. Making a case for those resources, though…well, that's a whole other story. See how one researcher made a difference after moving from academia to business.   A SKY FULL OF STARS Results from last week's community poll (n = 195) My ideal professional work situation is:    51% | In-house at a single company    14% | Starting a business with a trusted colleague/friend    13% | Unsure—still figuring that out    11% | At an agency working with many companies    11% | Freelancing under my own business A study about studies?! From 1998 to 2018, prominent researchers conducted the CUE studies evaluating the reproducibility of usability tests. Molly Malsam takes an analytical look at what the results mean to us now—and how you can apply it to your own work.   THAT'S YOUR CUE Whiteboard challenge? No problem Imagine you've finally scored an interview for your dream job. And then, you're left alone with a marker and whiteboard to prove your brilliance. Dun dun duuuun. Nikki Anderson-Stanier helps you meet the moment in this updated piece.   SODA QUIZ What people get wrong a lot is in not understanding how their biases will affect the cross-cultural work they set out to do. Senongo Akpem VP of Design at Nava Read more from Senongo on the People Nerds blog! More we're discussing: Speaking of usability testing, need to brush up on the basics—or polish your finely honed skills? This roundup has practical information for UXRs of all stripes. Picking the right pricing model for your business is a tricky game. See how one UXR entrepreneur landed on numbers that felt right for her. After you've got your insights, hold off on a presentation and consider running a dazzling and effective ideation workshop to shake things up instead. What we're hearing: Many companies are finalizing some version of a hybrid environment for 2023. Here are IDEO's strategies for doing it in a way that promotes collaboration and reduces burnout. The UX360 Summit wrapped recently. If you missed it, here's a nice recap from Ipsos of the trends on the minds of leaders. Plenty of design and user researchers get their start in academia. Indeed Design shares a few ethical research principles that translate nicely from the classroom to the boardroom. dscout is a company composed of People Nerds working to make context-rich human insight an everyday habit across organizations. The dscout platform—Diary, Live, Recruit, and Express—enables remote qualitative research that brings researchers into the moments experienced and shared by real people. Curious about the platform or working with dscout? Talk to an account executive.  dscout, 222 North LaSalle St. Suite 650, Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences

Usability testing, for pros and newbies alike

Plus, see how one solopreneur approaches pricing models for her business, and learn how to run an ideation workshop to activate insights.

Usability testing, in a nutshell Whether you're novel to usability testing or a seasoned pro, there's always something fresh and useful to learn. We're excited to share a featured content roundup, bringing together all of People Nerds' usability knowledge under one roof.   FROM SOUP TO NUTS  This week's community poll Answer with a click this week, see the results in next week's newsletter.   My ideal professional work situation is: 1. In-house at a single company 2. At an agency working with many companies 3. Freelancing under my own business 4. Starting a business with a trusted colleague/friend 5. Unsure—still figuring that out The right pricing model for your UX business Creating the best pricing structure for your own UX business is no short order. Nikki Anderson-Stanier shares her mothods for those bold enough to strike out on their own—or anyone who would like a peek behind the curtain. PLINKO, ANYONE? Run a captivating ideation workshop Revel in one of the rare times that quantity is valued over quality. This updated goodie from the archives lays out the best times to run an ideation workshop, plus comes with plenty of ideas on how to make it a roaring success. RAZZLE DAZZLE 'EM The reality is, as human beings, we are so socialized to just do and move and keep creating that we don't really provide time for assessment of why we think what we think, or why we do what we do. Antionette Carroll President and CEO (Founder) at Creative Reaction Lab Read more from Antionette on the People Nerds blog! More we're discussing: Bringing democratization into your organization may seem intimidating, but there's no reason to get the scaries. We walk you through some of the best ways to introduce the concept. You've done the research. You've shared your brilliant insights. And then…crickets. Inaction. Malaise. Learn how to translate your insights into action, so your research has an impact. Writing the pitch perfect resume may feel impossible, but it doesn't have to be! This guide walks you through how to optimize your UX resume to start scoring dream interviews. What we're hearing: Team-building strategy is especially important during industry-wide shifts and uncertainty. Here's a primer from Google on some best practices and considerations. Are you facing a self-imposed or unexpected professional "pivot?" Lauren Elizabeth shares her experience and reflects on what helped her make sense of it all. Leaders love learning from others who have been there. Check out First Round Review's 2022 recap, featuring advice and strategy from tech entrepreneurs.   dscout is a company composed of People Nerds working to make context-rich human insight an everyday habit across organizations. The dscout platform—Diary, Live, Recruit, and Express—enables remote qualitative research that brings researchers into the moments experienced and shared by real people. Curious about the platform or working with dscout? Talk to an account executive.  dscout, 222 North LaSalle St. Suite 650, Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences