Mentoring and Coaching Junior UX Researchers – Building the Next Generation of Talent

By Philip Burgess – UX Research Leader

The strength of a UX research team isn’t just in the expertise of its senior members—it’s in how well that knowledge is passed on. Mentoring and coaching junior researchers is more than a leadership responsibility; it’s an investment in the long-term health of the profession.

Whether you’re a seasoned research leader or a senior practitioner, effective mentorship can accelerate a junior researcher’s growth, confidence, and ability to make meaningful contributions.

1. The Difference Between Mentoring and Coaching

While often used interchangeably, mentoring and coaching serve different purposes in a junior researcher’s development:

• Mentoring is about the long-term relationship, offering guidance on career growth, soft skills, and professional identity.

• Coaching is more task- and skill-focused, providing targeted feedback to improve performance on specific deliverables or research methods.

In practice, most research leaders do both—switching between them as needed.

2. Common Challenges Junior Researchers Face

To guide effectively, mentors need to understand the hurdles juniors often encounter:

• Method selection uncertainty – Knowing which approach fits the research question.

• Stakeholder communication – Presenting findings clearly to non-research audiences.

• Confidence gaps – Feeling hesitant to advocate for research insights.

• Time management – Balancing research rigor with Agile timelines.

By identifying these challenges early, mentors can tailor their guidance to address them directly.

3. Core Principles for Mentoring Junior Researchers

a. Lead with Curiosity, Not Criticism

Instead of pointing out what’s wrong first, ask questions:

“What made you choose this method?”“How do you think this finding will influence the design?”

This approach builds critical thinking and ownership.

b. Provide Actionable, Specific Feedback

Replace vague comments like “You need to make this clearer” with:

“Your recommendation is strong, but adding a screenshot of the user’s error state will help the dev team visualize the problem.”

c. Share Your Process, Not Just the Output

Talk through your decision-making process so they can learn how you think—not just what you deliver.

d. Build Their Confidence

Publicly recognize their contributions in team meetings, sprint demos, or leadership updates.

4. Coaching Techniques for Skills Development

• Pair Researching – Work alongside them in sessions so they can see live decision-making.

• Shadowing & Reverse Shadowing – First, they watch you lead; then, you watch them lead and give feedback.

• Method Deep Dives – Dedicate time to walk through a specific method in detail, from recruiting to reporting.

• Role-Playing Stakeholder Conversations – Practice presenting findings to tough audiences in a safe environment.

5. Encouraging Independence Over Time

The goal of mentorship is not to create dependency—it’s to empower juniors to own their projects. Gradually:

1. Move from giving instructions to asking guiding questions.

2. Let them lead lower-risk projects before moving to more complex ones.

3. Encourage them to mentor others once they’re ready, creating a culture of peer learning.

6. The Mutual Benefits of Mentoring

Mentoring junior researchers isn’t just for their benefit—it sharpens your own skills:

• You articulate your thinking more clearly.

• You stay current with new perspectives and tools they bring.

• You strengthen team cohesion and reduce turnover.

Final Thoughts

Mentoring and coaching junior UX researchers is one of the most impactful ways to grow both individual careers and the profession as a whole. By combining structured coaching for skills with long-term mentorship for career development, you’re not just shaping better researchers—you’re building stronger teams and better products.