Build Your UXR Confidence
Our next, and 12th, Ask Like A Pro cohort kicks off in a few weeks. Please join us for a Q&A. Register on Eventbrite.
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, user research is becoming an increasingly important and appreciated aspect of product development. Companies are recognizing the value of investing in user research, and as a result, there has been a surge in demand, and competition(!), for skilled talent. To be successful in this field, it’s important to have the right foundation, hands-on experience, a mentor and trusted network.
Ask Like a Pro with Michele Ronsen
One of the best ways to gain practical experience in user research is to work on real-world projects with actual stakeholders. Getting hands-on helps you gain a deeper understanding of the entire end-to-end process, including how to identify research objectives, select the right research methods, recruit the right people, ask the right questions, analyze and interpret data, partner with stakeholders, and present your learnings. By working on real-world projects, you’re also exposed to a variety of challenges (and there will be many!), which help you build problem-solving and storytelling skills as well as create case studies.
Plan pose the right question
Survey/Screen to the right people
Interview in the right way
Orchestrate logistics, ethics, and note taking
Spot Patterns analysis and synthesis
Present motivating teams to act
Another way to gain valuable experience is to learn from an expert in the field. Someone who has spent a decade (or two!) in the trenches, actually conducting research and designing products. Experts can help you gain insights into the user research mindset and process that are very difficult to acquire in a traditional classroom, from informational interviews, watching YouTube videos, or reading. Experts can provide feedback, guidance, and advice to help you improve your research skills and meet you where you are right now.
Ask Like A Pro is our signature user research training series for:
Individuals who want to break into the industry
Existing practitioners who want to fill in gaps and upskill
Those seeking UXR productivity hacks, excellent templates to save time, increase their strategic acumen, or reduce their cognitive load
People seeking to work with an expert and/or mentor
Those who want a real-life user research case study
People looking to become more marketable as a user researcher
And anyone looking to build their UXR confidence
The common thread is CONFIDENCE. Our registrants want to feel more confident in their craft!
Our sponsored projects provide end-to-end learning and application with mentorship and guidance at every step of the way. Our motto is Guidance + Practice = Confidence.
Guidance + Practice = Confindence
Please join us for an info session and Q&A with alumni to learn more about the series and the different levels of participation. Register on Eventbrite.
Is Ask Like a Pro right for me? Join us for a live presentation and Q&A with alumni. Tuesday, February 21st at 5pm PT 8pm ET
There are three ways to participate in Ask Like A Pro. Our next cohort begins in a few weeks.
Three ways to participate:
On-Demand Ask Like a Pro Series is perfect for students who want to access the workshops and resources from a previous cohort - immediately.
Observer Ask Like a Pro Series is perfect for students who want to access all of the live training without the time commitment the All-In registration requires.
All-In Ask Like a Pro Series is perfect for students who want to be active participants in all of the workshops and complete their own research projects with feedback and guidance at every stage.
Our alumni are currently working at some of the world’s most respected brands, exploring unique and planet-changing questions, and striving to create a better future!
We’ve had students from 24 countries, and we couldn't be any prouder of their growth, case studies, curiosity, commitment to helping other alumni, and building better futures.
ALAP alums work at…
Indeed
Adobe
Cisco
Inspirato
Atlassian
Ford
User Interviews
The Home Depot
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Morgan Stanley
Workable
Highmark Health
Robinhood
AnswerLab
Credit Karma
Roblox
Alibaba.com
Dreambox
Levi’s
Meta
Google
Microsoft
Zendesk
…and more.
Wherever you are in your career
Choose Ask Like a Pro workshops when…
You want to break into the field of user research. Think you want a career in user and customer research but don't know where to start? Save yourself the headache of trying to break into the industry... and hunting the internet for the best resources. Give yourself a head start without spinning your wheels.
You’ve got specific questions and don’t know where to start. You've been tasked with finding out why your latest product flopped. Or you need to understand why your retention numbers are in the toilet. Learn how to ask the right questions to get the answers you need. Say goodbye to costly mistakes and missed opportunities.
You need to boost your skills and fill in gaps to be more competitive. Are you a freelance consultant, UX researcher, or in-house product developer? Learn the ins and outs of customer research to improve your service offerings or leap frog in your career. Help your clients, boss, and yourself make more money with your new skills.
User research is a constantly evolving field, and staying on top of the latest techniques and methodologies is essential for success.
Finally, remember that the value of education and experience is not just in the skills and knowledge you acquire, but also in the network and connections you build. The Ask Like A Pro Alumni network is powerful and global. The regular events we hold bring our community together to learn, grow, connect, and reconnect. The UXR community is relatively small, and developing relationships with other professionals can help you expand your knowledge and find new opportunities.
Please join us to learn more about Ask Like A Pro for yourself, your team, and or those you mentor. Register on Eventbrite. It will be recorded and all registrants will receive the recording.
Private team training details can be found here.
Upcoming Events
UX Research for Product Messaging
Learn how to leverage your user research to find the stickiest messages and boost conversions in the 90-minute interactive workshop led by Jen Havice. Sponsored by Curiosity Tank.
February 20th, 4-5:30pm PT
February 20th: "UX Research for Product Messages" event led by Jen Havice. (Ask Like A Pro Alumni Event open to the public). Register on Eventbrite 4 - 5:30 PM PST.
Is Ask Like a Pro right for me? Join us for a live presentation and Q&A with alumni. Tuesday, February 21st at 5pm PT 8pm ET
February 21st: Is Ask like A Pro Right for Me? Q&A with Alumni (Improve your UX Research Skills with "Ask Like A Pro"). Register on Eventbrite 5 - 6:30 PM PST.
Speak up, get involved, and share the love!
Connect with Michele on LinkedIn for more UXR tips and UX discussions
Read about Curiosity Tank workshops. The next Ask Like A Pro series begins in February!
Participate as an On-Demand, or as an Observer, for less!
Dive into a different UX Research term every week! Sign up for UX Lex weekly emails here.
Forward this email to someone who you think might enjoy it. Better yet, sign them up here. It will be the gift that keeps on giving.
And that’s a wrap!
We try to alternate between a theme and UX/UXR jobs, events, classes, articles, and other happenings every few weeks. Thank you for all of the feedback. Feedback is a gift, and we continue to receive very actionable input on how to make Fuel Your Curiosity more meaningful to you.
What do you think? We're constantly iterating and would love to hear your input.
Stay curious,
- Michele and the Curiosity Tank team
PS: We're only offering two public Ask Like A Pro cohorts this year, and the next cohort starts soon! If you’re ready to register click here to grab your spot! Need a little more info? Join our Live Info Session with Alumni on February 21st.
