By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in UX research, I relied heavily on basic methods like surveys and usability testing. These tools gave me useful insights, but I quickly realized they only scratched the surface of understanding users’ true needs and behaviors. Over time, I explored more advanced UX research methodologies that helped me uncover deeper insights and design better experiences. In this post, I want to share some of those methods,

Recruiting new talent and managing interviews can quickly become overwhelming without clear communication. I’ve learned that having well-crafted email templates for recruiting, scheduling, and confirmations saves time and reduces confusion for everyone involved. These templates help keep candidates informed and engaged, while making the process smoother for recruiters and hiring managers. In this post, I’ll share practical email templates and tips that you can adapt to your o

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in user experience, I was eager to measure everything. I believed that turning every insight into a metric would help prove the value of UX work and guide product decisions. But over time, I learned that not all UX insights fit neatly into numbers. Some insights lose their meaning or even mislead when forced into metrics. This post shares why some UX insights should stay qualitative and how to decide what to

When I first started working on improving website performance, I focused mainly on design tweaks and A/B testing. But I quickly realized that without understanding how users actually interact with a site, those changes often missed the mark. That’s when I turned to UX research as a foundation for conversion rate optimization (CRO). The results transformed how I approached improving user experiences and boosting conversions. In this post, I want to share how UX research can d

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in user experience, I was thrilled to see positive trends in our metrics. Every report showed growth: higher engagement, better task completion rates, and improved satisfaction scores. It felt like we were on the right path. But over time, I realized that when all metrics improve simultaneously without clear reasons, it often signals a problem rather than success. This phenomenon is called metric inflation,

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started as a UX researcher, I thought my job was to find answers. I believed that by asking direct questions, I could quickly uncover what users wanted or needed. But I soon realized that the real skill lies in leading with questions —not to get immediate answers, but to guide users into sharing deeper insights. This approach transforms interviews and usability tests from simple Q&A sessions into rich conversations that reve

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Getting a promotion in UX research can feel like a challenging goal. I remember feeling stuck early in my career, wondering what I needed to do to move up. Over time, I discovered that securing a promotion isn’t just about doing your job well; it’s about showing growth, leadership, and impact in ways that matter to your team and company. Here, I’ll share practical strategies that helped me advance in UX research and can help you too. UX

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working on UX projects, I often faced tight deadlines that pushed me to choose fast research methods. These quick approaches promised rapid insights, but I quickly learned they came with tradeoffs that affected the quality and depth of the findings. Over time, I found ways to balance speed and reliability, helping me make better design decisions without sacrificing user understanding. In this post, I want to share wh

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in UX research, the methods we relied on felt straightforward: interviews, surveys, usability tests. But as technology and user expectations evolve, so do the ways we understand and improve user experiences. Over the next five years, some research methods will become more important, while others will need to adapt or fade away. I want to share what I see as the most valuable UX research methods that will shap