By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In today’s fast-moving digital world, UX research isn’t just about running studies and collecting data—it’s about building systems that help organizations make better, evidence-based decisions. For leaders managing large UX research teams, the role expands beyond methods and deliverables. It’s about vision, alignment, and people development . The Role of a UX Research Leader At scale, leadership becomes less about conducting studies your

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Diary studies are one of the most underutilized but powerful methods in the UX researcher’s toolkit. They give us a window into users’ real lives—capturing behaviors, thoughts, and emotions as they unfold naturally over time. Unlike lab studies or one-off interviews, diary studies help uncover longitudinal patterns  and contextual insights  that are easy to miss in snapshot research. What Are Diary Studies? A diary study asks participant

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Remote and hybrid work have permanently reshaped how teams connect, collaborate, and grow. While the tools have changed, one timeless leadership model continues to stand out: servant leadership . Rooted in empathy, trust, and empowerment, servant leadership is especially powerful in distributed workplaces where face-to-face connections are limited. What is Servant Leadership? Servant leadership flips the traditional hierarchy. Instead of

# Building a Strong UX Research Foundation: The Essential Steps By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader 1. The Business Case Defines the “Why” The business case sets the stage for our research. It answers essential questions: Why are we doing this research? What business decision or risk does it support? Example Customer service calls about claims submissions have increased by 30%, costing $250K per quarter. We need to understand what’s driving this friction to reduce costs a

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In today's fast-paced digital world, user experience (UX) design directly impacts the success of products and services. Research is a cornerstone of this process, but it has often been confined to specialized teams. This can create gaps between user insights and the wider product development team. Now, a shift towards democratizing UX research is allowing everyone on the team to have a voice in the research process. This inclusive approa

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In today's fast-paced digital landscape, understanding user experience (UX) is more important than ever. As organizations grow, so does the need for effective UX research. Scaling UX research can seem overwhelming, but with strategic approaches, the benefits are significant. Research can lead to better product design and higher user satisfaction. This post will explore actionable strategies for scaling UX research within your organizatio

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Excellence in UX Research isn’t just about delivering insights. It’s about raising the craft, influencing decisions, and creating a culture where user understanding is a non-negotiable part of how organizations operate. After 20+ years leading research teams, I’ve seen the difference between excellence and mediocrity at every level—individual, leadership, and organizational. And the impact is profound. Excellence at the Researcher Level

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Project Background Nu Skin, a global leader in personal care and wellness products, sought to redesign its NuSkin.com website and associated mobile applications to better serve its diverse user base, including affiliates and customers. The goal was to improve usability, streamline navigation, and optimize key user flows such as sign-up and checkout to drive engagement and conversions. Role and Responsibilities As the UX Research Lead, I

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader At the heart of UX research lies a simple but powerful method: the user interview . Whether you’re exploring unmet needs, validating assumptions, or uncovering motivations, user interviews give researchers a direct line to the people behind the data. But like any method, user interviews are most effective when used with intention. Let’s explore what they are, when to use them, and the best practices that make them impactful. What Are Use

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader UX research is not only about what users do  but also about what they believe, prefer, and expect . While behavioral analytics reveals the actions people take, attitudinal analytics  uncovers the perceptions that drive those actions. Together, they give researchers the full picture: behavior explains the what , and attitudes explain the why . What Is Attitudinal Analytics? Attitudinal analytics is the structured measurement of user belie

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In UX research, it’s not enough to know what users say — we need to understand what they actually do. That’s where behavioral analytics  comes in. By tracking clicks, navigation paths, drop-offs, and interactions, behavioral analytics helps researchers uncover hidden friction, validate qualitative findings, and quantify the real impact of design decisions. What Is Behavioral Analytics? Behavioral analytics is the process of collecting an

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Surveys are one of the most widely used UX research tools — and for good reason. They scale quickly, capture a broad range of user opinions, and provide quantifiable data that can validate or complement qualitative insights. But not all surveys are created equal. Poorly designed surveys risk producing noise instead of clarity. Done well, UX research surveys can be a powerful way to connect user experience with business outcomes. Why Use

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In UX research, we often ask: “Which design works best for users?”  While qualitative methods help us uncover why users struggle , A/B testing allows us to validate those findings at scale and connect them directly to business outcomes. What Is A/B Testing in UX Research? A/B testing (also called split testing ) is a controlled experiment where you compare two or more design variants  to see which one performs better against a defined go

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader For years, UX research has been seen as a primarily qualitative practice — interviews, usability tests, field observations. But as digital products scale and data becomes more accessible, analytics is now a critical part of UX research . The ability to measure, track, and visualize user behavior brings depth, rigor, and credibility to our findings. So what exactly is UX Research Analytics , and how can it transform the way organizations

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader When organizations think about UX research, they often picture usability testing or surveys. But UX research is a much broader practice — and at its heart, it comes down to two complementary approaches: qualitative  and quantitative . Both types are essential. Qualitative research uncovers the “why”  behind user behavior, while quantitative research validates the “how much”  and “how often.”  Together, they give teams the insight needed

By Philp Burgess - UX Research Leader Why this matters: Teams often use these terms interchangeably, which leads to fuzzy goals, mismatched methods, and weak decisions. This guide clarifies the major UX Research Styles , when to use them, and how to explain each to stakeholders. A simple mental model Think in two dimensions across the product lifecycle: Problem space → understand people, contexts, needs, opportunities Solution space → design, test, and measure solutions Life

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Quantitative UX research is all about uncovering the “what” and “how much” behind user behavior. It leverages data from surveys, experiments, analytics, and large-scale usability testing to generate statistically valid insights. While qualitative research explains the why , quantitative research measures the scale  and impact . AI can supercharge this work by helping UX researchers craft better survey questions, analyze large datasets, i

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Artificial Intelligence is becoming a powerful partner for UX researchers, not a replacement. With the right prompts, AI can accelerate analysis, uncover themes, draft reports, and even suggest new research questions. Below are 50 of the best AI prompts for qualitative UX research , organized by stage of the research process. 1. Research Planning “Suggest 5 open-ended interview questions to understand user frustrations with [product/feat

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader AI isn’t replacing UX research—but it can amplify our workflows if used thoughtfully. The key? Knowing how to prompt effectively  so the output supports research goals without introducing bias or over-simplification. Here are some of the the best UX Research AI prompts—plus why they matter and examples you can use right away. 1. Planning & Scoping When time is short, AI can help frame a structured research plan. Prompt Example: “Create a

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Usability testing is the cornerstone of great UX—rich with user feedback, interaction pain points, and design validation. But once the sessions are over, one thing looms large: the dreaded usability report . For many UX researchers, analyzing sessions, pulling quotes, tagging issues, and building a report can take hours —sometimes days . But what if AI could automate that process without sacrificing depth? Here’s how we used AI to automa