Is UX research right for you?

1. I can plan a small interview study (about 8 people) and have a written summary within two weeks.

2. I'm comfortable watching someone use software and asking them to narrate what they're thinking.

3. I can write a one-page research plan with clear questions, methods, and the decisions it will inform.

4. I can analyze a mix of qualitative and quantitative data and resist over-interpreting small samples.

5. I'm comfortable acting on an 80%-confident finding when the decision can be reversed later.

6. I can change my study mid-way when the question I'm trying to answer shifts.

7. I'd rather deliver a useful answer in two weeks than a perfect one in two months.

8. I can explain how a research finding should change what gets built, measured, or shown on screen.

9. I can read software documents, design mockups, and usage dashboards without getting lost.

10. I can recognize when research isn't the right tool and suggest a cheaper way to get the answer.

11. I think about the specific person trying to get something done — not just populations and average effects.

12. I can write a one-page summary that a busy non-academic colleague will actually read.

13. I'm comfortable presenting findings to skeptical engineers or executives.

14. I can replace academic hedging with plain claims while still being honest about uncertainty.

15. I can disagree with a designer or product manager and still get invited to the next meeting.

16. I can turn down a research request and offer a useful alternative.

17. I can read the politics of a room and adjust how I deliver bad news.

18. I'm energized — not drained — by working with non-researchers every day.