Are you the key to shaping UX culture? 🔑

Do you find yourself juggling your daily work responsibilities with educating your colleagues about UX? You’re not alone. This month, we speak with a senior UX researcher about how they’re balancing research and knowledge sharing at their organization. They also share some handy tips on how to create a research-informed work culture.

We also cover:

💬 How to conduct jobs-to-be-done interviews.

🚀 How to build UX design expertise in your startup.

📚 The best product design books to add to your reading list.

🔍 How to test the navigation of your prototype.

🎧 What we’ve been tuning into lately.

The role of educators in shaping UX culture

In many organizations, especially startups and smaller teams, resources are limited and roles often overlap. As a result, UX researchers and designers often find themselves advocating for user-centric principles. And as the demand for user-focused products and experiences increases, there’s a growing recognition of the need for UX education within non-research teams, leading researchers and designers to naturally step into this educator role and make sure everyone is aligned and informed about best practices.

We recently chatted with senior UX researcher Dan Moon about the growing importance of fostering a research-informed culture. Daniel shares his experience balancing research with education, and offers plenty of helpful and practical tips about how to strike the right balance and provide support and resources to other teams so they feel empowered to conduct research. 

As Daniel shares: “It's essential to gauge the team's level of experience with UX research when first engaging with them. Some may have only dipped their toes in. Some may have had their own researcher assigned to them. Teams can vary widely in their familiarity with research practices, so understanding their background helps tailor support and guidance to meet their specific needs.” Read more.

Make better product decisions with JTBD interviews

Do you want to understand customer motivations? A jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) interview might be the golden ticket. We share how to plan, conduct, and analyze JTBD interviews, and offer tips on how to craft effective interview questions. Read more.

Boosting startups with stellar UX design

In startup land, UX design isn't always at the top of the priority list. But good UX can help keep users, save money, and make money. We speak to founders about best practices and how they built UX expertise within their startup teams. Read more.

Looking for a great design book to read next?

We asked you, the Lyssna community, for your best product design book recommendations, and you came through with some great choices. Time to pick up a book and get poolside or cozy by the fire (depending on which hemisphere you’re in), and learn something new. Read more.

Trending template

Test the navigation of your prototype

This template will help you discover:

• Whether your navigation menu is user-friendly and helps users find what they need.

• Whether navigation labels are clear, concise, and meaningful.

• User preferences on navigation design and layout.

• The time it takes users to complete tasks using the navigation menu.

Try this template

What we're tuning into...

🎧 Leading in UXR with neurodiversity, with Odette Jansen

On this episode of From Finders to Builders, Julian Della Mattia chats with Odette Jansen BSc MEd, a seasoned UXR leader.

Odette tells her story about working in the UX field and how she leads a research team as someone who's neurodivergent. She also discusses the importance of adjusting research methods when working with neurodivergent participants and advocates for openness and understanding of neurodiversity in professional settings. 

💛 A case for kinder calls to action

A thought-provoking and entertaining article from UX writer Rita N. on how calls to action (CTAs), like buttons or prompts, have become really pushy. Rita also shares some great ideas for how we can use kinder and gentler language that still drives people to act.

🤝 Making networking fun again with Grace Ling

In this episode of the Beyond UX Design Podcast, Jeremy Miller talks with Grace Ling ✨, founder of the Design Buddies community, about her unique approach to LinkedIn. Grace emphasizes authenticity and fun, sharing how her energetic presence – from dance videos to candid stories – attracts a like-minded audience.

Her advice: be yourself, iterate, and connect genuinely. This is a fun episode, with some great tips on how to build a personal brand, navigate social media, and foster community.