When I first started crafting my UX research resume, I struggled with one big question: how do I show real impact without resorting to inflated or fake numbers? Many job seekers feel pressured to add flashy metrics that don’t truly reflect their work. But in UX research, genuine impact often comes from insights, decisions influenced, and user experience improvements that don’t always translate into neat percentages or dollar signs. I learned that telling a clear story about m

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started using AI tools in my UX research, I was excited about the speed and scale they offered. But I quickly realized that without clear guardrails, these tools could lead me astray. AI can generate insights fast, but it can also introduce bias, misinterpret data, or overlook important human context. Designing guardrails for AI-assisted UX research is essential to get reliable, ethical, and useful results. In this post, I’l

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first stepped into a leadership role, I believed that being a servant leader meant always having the right answers and making everyone feel comfortable. I quickly learned that leadership is rarely comfortable. The real challenge is sitting with discomfort—leaning into difficult conversations, facing uncertainty, and managing emotions without rushing to fix or avoid them. This skill is essential for anyone who wants to lead with em

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first joined a product team, I quickly noticed a recurring tension between the UX research group and the product management team. Both sides aimed to build the best product possible, yet their approaches often felt like they were pulling in different directions. Over time, I realized this misalignment wasn’t about conflicting goals but about how each team defined and executed their strategies. Understanding where UX research strat

When you need fast feedback on a product or feature, setting up a full usability study can feel overwhelming. I’ve been there—tight deadlines, limited resources, and pressure to move quickly. That’s why I developed a lightweight usability testing template that helps me run quick, internal tests without sacrificing valuable insights. This approach saves time and keeps the focus on what really matters: understanding how users interact with the product. In this post, I’ll share

When working on user experience (UX) projects, one challenge I often face is managing the wealth of insights gathered from research sessions, usability tests, and user interviews. These insights are valuable, but without a clear system to organize and reuse them, they tend to get lost or forgotten. That’s why I decided to create a UX insight library template—a structured way to capture, store, and retrieve UX knowledge for future projects. In this post, I’ll share how I built

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first stepped into a leadership role, I believed that being a good leader meant having all the answers and making quick decisions. I focused on tasks, goals, and results, thinking that was enough to inspire my team. But I quickly learned that leadership is much more than that. It starts with something deeply personal: managing your own emotions. Emotional regulation is the foundation of servant leadership. Without it, you can’t tr

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When I first started working on UX projects, I believed that using every research method available would give me the clearest picture of user needs. I thought more data meant better decisions. But soon, I realized that juggling too many methods at once often blurred the insights instead of sharpening them. The challenge is not just collecting data but making sure each method adds value without overwhelming the process or diluting the fin

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Finding the right UX research role can feel overwhelming. The job market is crowded, and not every listing tells the full story about the company or the position. When I was searching for my last UX research job, I quickly realized that Glassdoor was more than just a place to read reviews—it became a powerful tool to guide my search and make informed decisions. Here’s how I used Glassdoor to find a role that truly fit my skills and caree