You're a UX researcher. How can you keep up with the latest trends?

1 Follow relevant blogs and podcasts

Staying up-to-date with the latest trends in UX research can be made easier by following some of the most popular and reputable blogs and podcasts in the industry. These sources offer valuable insights, tips, case studies, interviews, and opinions from experts and practitioners. Additionally, you can discover new tools, methods, and techniques to apply to your own projects. Some of the recommended blogs and podcasts include UX Collective, UX Podcast, User Interviews, and UX Research and Strategy. Each of these provide different perspectives on usability, accessibility, user research, practical advice, best practices, and examples of user research in action.

2 Join online communities and forums

Staying up to date with the latest trends in UX research requires engaging with online communities and forums. Here, you can interact with other UX researchers, ask questions, share your work, get feedback, and learn from others' experiences. Additionally, these platforms can help you network, find mentors, and discover new opportunities. Examples of online communities and forums include UX Research (a Facebook group connecting UX researchers from around the world), User Experience Research (a Reddit community), UX Research & Strategy (a Slack group), and UX Mastery (a website providing articles, courses, books, and a forum).

3 Attend webinars and events

Attending webinars and events is a great way to stay up to date on the latest trends in UX research. You can learn from the experts, get inspired by the latest innovations, and network with your peers. Participating in live Q&A sessions, workshops, and panels can also be beneficial. Some of the webinars and events you can attend are the UX Research Conference, an annual online conference with speakers, panels, workshops, and networking sessions; UX Insight, a monthly online event that showcases insights and trends from various industries; UXPA, a professional association that hosts webinars, events, and chapters for UX practitioners; and Nielsen Norman Group, a leading UX consulting firm that offers seminars, courses, and conferences.

4 Take online courses and certifications

A fourth way to keep up with the latest trends in UX research is to take some of the online courses and certifications available on various platforms and websites. These courses and certifications can help you enhance your knowledge, skills, and credentials in UX research, while also providing the opportunity to learn from instructors, mentors, and peers. Examples of online courses and certifications include the User Experience Research and Design Specialization on Coursera, the UX Research and Strategy course on Udemy, the UX Research Fundamentals course on Skillshare, and the Certified Professional for Usability and User Experience certification.

5 Experiment with new tools and methods

Experimenting with some of the new tools and methods emerging in the UX research field can help you streamline your workflow, collect and analyze data, communicate findings, and create better user experiences. You can also challenge yourself to try new approaches, test hypotheses, and explore possibilities. For example, Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard that allows you to create and share research artifacts like personas and journey maps. Maze is a user testing platform that enables you to run remote usability tests, surveys, and prototypes. Dovetail is a user research platform that helps store, analyze, and share qualitative data like notes, transcripts, videos, and photos. Storytelling is a method of communicating research findings and recommendations using narratives, visuals, and emotions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?