The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between. — Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth Making the career pivot to user research has been a journey. But like Milo’s journey in The Phantom Tollbooth, the destination turned out to be a metaphysical…

A career changer’s pitch to would-be employers — A potential employer asked me last week in a job interview for a UX researcher role, “Why UX research?” I was kicking myself for not having answered this already. I had just given an hour-long presentation on my background and UXR case studies, selling my unconventional work experience as my…

“He’s put design research as a skillset, but I don’t think he knows much about design research”. This comment came in a recent usability testing session of my UX portfolio with a top-tier UX professional and mentor from ADPList. This was tough feedback, but it was exactly what I…

Thank you, Micah, for the portfolio guidance. I'm realizing I've got a lot of work to do, but I have a much better sense of what that should be. Cheers!

The north central Florida area is an increasing destination for Hispanic immigrants, but online health literacy efforts face distinct challenges — e.g., the language barrier, low digital and basic literacy, and mobile-dependent usage patterns — in this sparsely populated rural area. This project is my prototype for a bilingual, mobile-first…

Thanks for this article! I'm looking to analyze my portfolio website, but also to bone up for professional reasons on google analytics. As an aspiring UX Researcher, I think this could benefit my job search. Cheers!

Great article, Alice! I am a former classroom teacher and trying to crystallize for my own narrative the clear connections between education and user-centered design. Thanks for the food for thought.

The University of Florida offers over 500 degree and certificate programs across its many colleges and departments. But it’s surprisingly difficult to find basic information about these programs. This project is my proposed redesign of UF’s website to make it easier for prospective students and their families to discover UF’s…

Thanks, Jennifer. I am just stepping into the job market as a UX designer, and I really appreciate the perspective on how this title has changed over the years - and how to narrow your search. I'll only be unsuccessful (or ultimately unhappy) if I'm continually knocking, unknowingly, on the doors of visual/graphic design jobs. Especially when I'm thinking more user research... thanks again.