😌 Humans of User Research with Risha Lee

Hey Risha, tell us a little about yourself.
Hello, super keen researchers! I’m a Brooklyn-based qualitative researcher by way of academia. I never thought that I would be featured in this esteemed spread and am honored to share some nuggets of information about my journey here with all of you.

What originally got you interested in UX Research?
I came to UX Research as an art historian and museum curator.  I was hungry for a profession that understood designed experiences as an index of human choices, needs, and creative expression.  As a museum curator I became aware that many considered ‘the visitor experience’ as a separate design constraint, but then I learned that there was a whole discipline devoted to centering the User Experience in every single decision that businesses and institutions make. I was blown away by the possibilities of this framing and the potential to do some good. It also seemed like a much better way to earn a living than my former vocation and I was craving stability in my personal life.

What does your perfect evening look like after a day full of user studies?
It’s important to reward yourself after hard work. In case you can’t tell from my picture, I love to eat, especially Chinese food.  The apron I’m wearing is from when I was around 8 years old, and it’s signed by master chef Martin Yan of “Yan Can Cook.”  I had attended a cooking class he gave my mom’s Hadassah group, he called me up on stage to help him make vegetable garnishes, and I nearly died of pride! But I digress . . . After a long day I try to celebrate my accomplishment with a delicious home cooked meal shared with family and friends.

What would you like to talk about with other researchers and how can they find you?
I’d love to talk to other researchers, particularly those who work at larger corporations, about how they’ve integrated equity and accessibility initiatives into their work. I believe that UX can act as both a powerful source of knowledge and a mirror to our organizations that encourages them to serve the needs of marginalized users, but I’m not as clear on how we get there. I’d love to hear about use cases that have gained traction and brought about this reframing from within, and other ideas on the subject.

Thank you, Risha!

Spotlight > Articles > Video > Audio

🎉 Highlights.

Really old UX research: A model for usability focused development
Lessons from Gould & Lewis (1985). Kolja Pluemer 10/16

The 2022 research incentives report
What to pay research participants, according to data from nearly 20,000 moderated and unmoderated research projects. User Interviews 10/19

UX people need to stop bashing ‘assumptions’ and start aligning them
Rapid Personas, Alignment Personas, and the art of wrangling stakeholders. Tamara’s Axiom: Any tool that helps to promote alignment around measurable goals, user needs, and priorities — even if that alignment is not based on data — is a good thing. Tamara Adlin 10/18

➡️ Research Approaches.

How to manage and moderate asynchronous focus groups
An asynchronous focus group is a semi-structured group discussion, conducted through methods and tools that allow for data collection to take place over a longer time frame. 10/16

Psychology for UX: study guide
Unsure where to start? Use this collection of links to our articles and videos to learn about some principles of human psychology and how they relate to UX design. Tanner Kohler 10/16

Diversity and inclusivity in user research: How, why, and when
This user research guide is designed to help you take your user research to a more inclusive place. Russell Simmons 10/16

Democratizing UX research: 3 experts reveal their tips
How do you take UX democratization to the next level? Three experts tell us how they're making it work in their organizations. Russell Simmons 10/16

How to create a practical user research plan (Sponsored)
A user research plan typically contains particular elements around the research subject and the project’s objectives and is often created at the beginning of a new project. But what to put in a research plan, and how do researchers actually use research plans in practice? Get valuable expert tips and a template for your next user research plan. Read more

🎓 Career & Breaking into UXR.

What employers want from UXR candidates
What's explicitly stated in job descriptions, and what isn't. Lawton Pybus 10/17

User research — what I learned in my first year at a large tech company!
I’ve now worked as a User Researcher at a large tech company for a whole year. This realisation made me start to think back to what I have actually learned in the time that has passed. Axel Hansers 10/18

Breaking down my HCI master’s application
How I got into my dream HCI graduate programs coming from a different background. Sharing all the resources that helped me!. Juanita Thota 10/13

How to get into UX research
Tips and advice based on how Aaron became a UX researcher. Aaron Christopher 10/13

Spotlight > Articles > Video > Audio

🎥 Video of the Week.

The Future of UX research. Where are we headed as a discipline
YouTube 10/18

Spotlight > Articles > Video > Audio

🔉 Audio of the Week.

Doing design 'structuring design research projects for success'
A conversation about structuring design research projects for success and the granular details of things that successful research projects do. Spotify Apple 11/01

Happy researching,
🗞 Jan