Building Confidence and Career Pathing As An Early Researcher (ft. Michele Ronsen)
Mar 25, 2024
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Michele Ronsen, a seasoned user researcher, talks about building confidence and career pathing for researchers. She shares insights on transitioning from designer to educator, mastering question-asking skills, gaining hands-on experience, navigating challenges in UX research, and career pathing in the evolving field.
Focus on hands-on learning to build confidence in UX research.
Align research projects with business objectives for stakeholder support.
Emphasize continuous learning and skill development in the UX research field.
Deep dives
Transition from Design to Research
Michelle Ronson, a design director with extensive experience in designing for large companies, transitioned to research after participating in an Innovation Fellowship Program at California College of the Arts. This transition sparked her interest in conducting research, leading her to start teaching design research and methods at various universities.
Ask Like a Pro Program Creation
Michelle's Ask Like a Pro program was born out of her experience teaching diverse individuals at General Assembly, where she encountered different professionals seeking to learn research methods. Despite initial resistance from General Assembly for a certificate program, Michelle developed specialized classes focusing on mixed methods workshops to educate aspiring and current researchers.
Building Confidence and Portfolio in Research
Through Ask Like a Pro, Michelle emphasizes hands-on learning and practice as key elements to build confidence among UX researchers. By focusing on real-world projects and involving stakeholders, participants gain valuable experience in user research, aligning their efforts with business goals and enhancing their research planning skills.
Connecting UX Research to Business Objectives
Michelle underscores the importance of aligning UX research projects with larger business objectives. By tying research goals to key performance indicators and organizational goals, researchers can garner stakeholder support and ensure that research outcomes directly impact business success. This approach fosters a collaborative environment and enhances the likelihood of actionable insights.
Creating a Career Path in UX Research
In the realm of UX research, Michelle notes that researchers often focus on continuous learning and skill development rather than specific career goals. The journey of exploration and improvement drives researchers to enhance their capabilities and adapt to evolving research requirements. This mindset reflects a commitment to lifelong learning and a passion for the research process as a fundamental aspect of being a UX researcher.
Michele Ronsen founded Curiosity Tank where she provides research and career support. She is a user researcher, designer, coach, and educator with over 5,000 hours of adult design and user research teaching expertise in academic institutions and 20+ years of corporate training, workshops, design, and research for Fortune 500s and start-ups. In this episode, Michele discusses building confidence and career pathing for researchers.
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