PHILIP BURGESS

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Becoming a UX Research Leader is more than just managing projects and guiding researchers—it’s about inspiring excellence, creating impact, and raising the standard for what research can achieve within an organization.  While meeting expectations keeps the wheels turning, exceeding them builds trust, earns influence, and shapes the future of the discipline. 1. Champion Strategic Alignment To exceed expectations, you must go beyond execut

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader As a UX research leader, your role isn’t only to nurture talent—it also includes holding your team accountable  when standards aren’t met. Disciplining researchers can feel uncomfortable, especially in a field centered on empathy and collaboration. However, addressing performance or behavioral issues with fairness and transparency is critical for maintaining a strong research culture. 1. The Importance of Accountability in Research UX re

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader Leading a team of UX researchers goes far beyond assigning studies and reviewing reports. It’s about cultivating practice, craftsmanship, and culture —while ensuring meetings are purposeful and productivity thrives. A well-managed UX research team doesn’t just produce insights; it becomes a trusted partner that drives product direction and user-centered innovation. 1. The Role of a UX Research Leader In Managing UX Researchers Managing U

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader As UX research teams grow, leaders face an important challenge: how do you measure and demonstrate the value of research without reducing people to vanity metrics?  Tracking researcher performance and team outcomes helps align research with business goals, ensures career growth for researchers, and makes a strong case for continued investment in UX research. Here’s a breakdown of what to track, how to track it, and best practices for doi

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader For non-profits, every dollar and every hour of staff time matters. Unlike corporations that measure ROI (return on investment) through revenue growth and market share, non-profits focus on impact, efficiency, and mission outcomes . Yet UX research—often seen as “nice to have”—can deliver significant ROI by helping organizations better serve their communities, donors, and volunteers. Here’s how non-profits can quantify the ROI of UX rese

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader UX Research has come a long way in just over two decades. In 1999, the internet was still in its early growth phase, mobile devices weren’t mainstream, and many companies were just beginning to explore the concept of “usability.” Fast forward to 2025, and UX Research is a highly specialized, data-driven discipline at the heart of product strategy. Let’s take a journey back to 1999 and compare how UX Research looked then versus today. UX

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader UX Research (UXR) is one of the fastest-growing fields in design and technology. As businesses strive to deliver seamless user experiences, researchers play a crucial role in uncovering user needs, behaviors, and motivations. If you’ve ever been curious about how people interact with products—or you’ve wanted to make technology more intuitive—UX Research might be the perfect career path. But where do you start? Here’s a clear roadmap for

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader User experience research shapes how products meet real user needs. Senior UX researchers carry the responsibility of guiding teams with insights that improve design and functionality. Yet, even experienced professionals can fall into common traps that limit their impact. Recognizing these pitfalls helps senior researchers sharpen their approach and deliver stronger results. Senior UX researcher reviewing user feedback data Overlooking th

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader User experience research often feels like a costly endeavor, requiring expensive tools, professional testers, and extensive resources. But what if you could gather valuable insights without spending any money? This post explores practical ways to conduct UX research on a tight or nonexistent budget. You will learn how to tap into free resources, leverage your network, and use simple methods that deliver meaningful results. Collecting use

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Presenting UX research findings to executive stakeholders can be challenging. Executives often have limited time and focus on high-level outcomes rather than detailed data. To make your research impactful, you need to communicate clearly, highlight key insights, and connect your findings to business goals. This post explains how to present UX research results effectively to executives, ensuring your work influences decisions and drives p

Making the jump from being a hands-on UX researcher to managing a UX research team changes everything. It is not just a new job title but a shift in how you think, what you focus on, and how you measure success. Instead of producing research yourself, your role becomes about helping your team deliver their best work and shaping the bigger picture. This change can feel overwhelming at first. The skills that made you a great researcher are still important, but now you also need

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader When product owners doubt the value of UX research, teams often face roadblocks that slow progress and reduce product quality. UX research provides critical insights into user needs, behaviors, and pain points. Without it, products risk missing the mark, leading to wasted resources and frustrated users. This post explores common challenges when product owners undervalue UX research and offers practical ways to address them. Team collabor

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Mentoring and coaching junior UX researchers plays a crucial role in shaping the future of user experience design. As the demand for skilled UX professionals grows, organizations must invest in developing new talent who can navigate complex research challenges and deliver meaningful insights. This post explores practical ways to support junior researchers, helping them build confidence, sharpen skills, and contribute effectively to proje

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Creating products that truly meet user needs while keeping pace with fast development cycles remains a challenge for many teams. Agile development has transformed how products are built by emphasizing flexibility and quick iterations. Yet, without integrating user experience (UX) research effectively, teams risk delivering features that miss the mark. Combining Agile with UX research helps teams build better products faster by continuous

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Servant Leadership often brings to mind images of someone standing at the front, directing the team with authority. Yet, my experience as a UX Research Manager has taught me that leading from behind can be far more powerful. Embracing the role of a servant leader has reshaped how I guide my team, foster collaboration, and deliver meaningful user insights. This post shares my journey, practical lessons, and the impact of servant leadershi

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Leadership is often seen as a position of authority, where managers direct tasks and ensure goals are met. Yet, the most effective leaders go beyond managing—they mentor. Moving from a manager role to a mentor role means changing how you interact with your team, focusing on growth, guidance, and long-term success. This shift can transform your leadership style and create a more engaged, capable team. A leader mentoring an employee during

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader User experience (UX) research leaders play a crucial role in shaping products that truly meet user needs. Their work goes beyond gathering data; it involves guiding teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving strategic decisions. To succeed, UX research leaders must develop a specific set of skills that balance technical expertise, leadership, and communication. This post explores the core competencies every UX research leader should bu

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Uncertainty challenges every part of product development, but it hits UX research especially hard. When user needs shift rapidly and data becomes less predictable, how can UX researchers guide teams toward meaningful insights? This post explores practical ways to lead UX research through ambiguous situations, helping teams stay focused and deliver value despite unclear conditions. Researcher reviewing diverse user feedback notes Understa

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader User experience (UX) research often gets judged by numbers: conversion rates, task completion times, or customer satisfaction scores. While these metrics are useful, they don’t tell the whole story. The true impact of UX research goes deeper, shaping product decisions, team culture, and long-term business success in ways that numbers alone cannot capture. This post explores how to measure the influence of UX research beyond traditional m

By Philip Burgess | UX Research Leader Mentorship plays a crucial role in shaping the future of UX research. As the field evolves rapidly, experienced professionals have the opportunity to guide newcomers, helping them develop skills, confidence, and leadership qualities. This post explores how mentorship fosters growth in UX research, practical ways to build effective mentor-mentee relationships, and the impact on the broader UX community. Mentor guiding a UX researcher thro