By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Choosing a career in user experience (UX) can be exciting but also confusing. Two popular paths in this field are UX research and UX design. Both roles focus on improving how users interact with products, but they do so in different ways. I want to share my experience and insights to help you decide which path fits your skills, interests, and goals better. A UX researcher reviewing user feedback and data Understanding UX Research UX rese

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in UX research, I quickly realized that relying on a single method often left gaps in understanding user behavior. One method might reveal what users do, but not why. Another might uncover motivations but miss patterns in actual use. Over time, I learned that layering different UX research methods creates a fuller, more reliable picture. This approach strengthens the evidence we gather and leads to better des

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When deadlines shrink and projects speed up, UX research often feels like the first thing to get squeezed out. Yet, skipping or rushing research can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities. I’ve faced this challenge many times, and I want to share practical ways to adapt UX research methods when time is limited, without sacrificing the quality of insights. Quick user journey mapping during tight project timelines UX Research Met

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working with AI tools in research, I believed they could solve nearly every problem. After all, AI can process vast amounts of data faster than any human. But over time, I realized that even with perfect data, AI falls short in making the nuanced judgments that research demands. This post explores why human judgment remains essential in research, despite advances in AI and data quality. Researcher reviewing complex d

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first encountered the idea of servant leadership, I was skeptical. Leadership, in my mind, was about authority, decision-making, and driving results. The notion of leading by serving others felt counterintuitive. Yet, over time, I discovered that this quiet discipline holds a powerful key to building trust, fostering growth, and creating lasting impact. What Servant Leadership Really Means Servant leadership flips the traditional

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in UX research, my focus was narrow: understand users for a single product, gather feedback, and improve that product. Over time, I realized this approach misses a bigger opportunity. UX research can and should extend beyond individual products to shape broader strategies that benefit entire organizations and ecosystems. This shift changes how we think about users, data, and design decisions. In this post, I’

When I first joined a UX research team, I quickly realized how much time was wasted reinventing the wheel. Every project required crafting new prompts for interviews, surveys, or usability tests, often from scratch. This slowed down the process and sometimes led to inconsistent data. That’s when I started building a prompt library template tailored for UX research teams. It transformed how we worked, making research faster, clearer, and more reliable. If you are part of a UX

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working in UX design, I quickly realized that understanding users wasn’t just about guessing what they wanted. It required solid research methods that reveal real behaviors and needs. Over time, I learned which UX research methods deliver the most useful insights and how to apply best practices to get the most from them. If you want your designs to truly connect with users, knowing these methods and how to use them e

When I first stepped into the role of a UX research leader, I quickly realized that my job was about more than just gathering user feedback or running usability tests. It was about shaping decisions that impact the entire product and business. Over time, I came to see myself as a decision architect —someone who designs the way decisions are made by providing clear, relevant, and timely insights. This perspective changed how I approached my work and how I helped my teams succe