Rethinking where UX research belongs | Joel Barr | #76

Joel Barr, a UX engineer and software creation professional, reflects on why we need to rethink the place of UX research within organizations, arguing that researchers have much greater impact when they sit under operations rather than product. He explores the decline of field research, the importance of connecting UX to sales and customer success teams, and the risks of overrelying on AI and synthetic participants. Joel also advocates for measuring UX through business outcomes such as revenue, retention, and operational success rather than product-centric metrics, debating that only by proving its commercial impact can UX secure its future.

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🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:

https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/joel-barr-ux-research-in-organizations

Episode highlights

00:01:48 - Why UX Research should not sit under Product

00:08:08 - Servant leadership

00:11:40 - How companies benefit from having UX researchers in the field

00:16:27 - Will UX Research lose influence if moved under Operations?

00:21:23 - AI in UX research

00:26:10 - Connecting UX research with retention and sales metrics

00:28:12 - Summing up

👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B

About this podcast:

Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.

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