The UXR Tools Bundle is designed to take the chaos out of research. Paid subscribers to The User Research Strategist get free premium access to four top platforms that make research actually run smoothly:

• User Interviews → 5 participant credits, no ghosting, no chasing

• Askable → 1 month of Industry Stream, recruitment on autopilot

• Lyssna → 6 months of quick-turn usability testing

• Condens → 6 months of a real repository (not 47 Google Docs)

That’s roughly $1,200 worth of tools, included in your £132/year subscription. The goal is simple: help you spend less time managing research, and more time doing it.

Perfect for:

• Researchers juggling too many projects and not enough structure

• Teams trying to build better workflows without buying 10 new licenses

• Anyone tired of messy transcripts, ghosted participants, or duct-taped tools

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to get organized, this is it.

Grab it here

01.

Using AI to go from Idea to Launch (Event) by Askable

I’m co-hosting this one with Askable, and it’s going to be a good one. We’re cutting past the buzzwords and talking about what it actually looks like to use AI in research and product development from the first spark of an idea all the way to launch. You’ll hear real examples, real tools, and a few lessons learned the hard way. The best part is, we’re not talking hypotheticals. These are teams who’ve shipped things with AI in the mix and have the scars (and wins) to prove it. If you’ve been trying to figure out where AI fits into your process without turning your work into a science experiment, this session will get you there.

02.

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Co-Lab Continued (Event) by dscout

If there’s one event you should actually make time for this year, it’s this one. On November 12-13, dscout is bringing together some of the sharpest minds in research and design—folks from Disney, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Headspace, and more—for two days of no-BS conversations about where UX is headed next. The sessions dig into the stuff we’re all wrestling with right now: how to keep the human side of research alive while AI eats everything, how to make decisions that actually move the business, and how to lead through uncertainty without burning out. You’ll get live Q&As, candid insights, and a reminder of why our work still matters in a field that’s changing faster than we can write a discussion guide. It’s free, it’s virtual, and it’s the smartest way to refill your tank before heading into another year of “doing more with less.”

02.

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And then next project turns into six months of juggling spreadsheets, chasing no-shows, and trying to make sense of messy transcripts at 2am.

That’s exactly why I built this bundle. Paid subscribers get all Substack content and you get handed the tools that cut out half the stress:

• User Interviews → 5 participants without the ghosting circus

• Askable → a full month of Industry Stream (recruitment on autopilot)

• Lyssna → 6 months of tests that don’t stall out after 5 clicks

• Condens → 6 months of a real repository, not 47 Google Docs and a prayer

It’s the stack I wish I had when I was duct-taping research together. And it costs less than what you’d pay to recruit a single participant.

If you’re tired of telling yourself “I’ll get organized later,” this is later. Grab it now.

Grab it!

Now, onto this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

Jack, Diane and the future of research maturity (Article) by Maze

I got tired of maturity models being these dry, soulless frameworks nobody actually wanted to read, so I decided to write something different. Enter Jack and Diane, two fictional researchers who show what research maturity really looks like in the trenches: messy, political, and often hilarious in hindsight. You’ll probably recognize your own team in them (and maybe yourself, which can sting a little). The whole point was to make maturity feel less like a box-ticking exercise and more like a story you can actually learn from. If you’ve been wondering how to move beyond “we test buttons” mode, this is where I’d start.

02.

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You’ve scrolled past this before.

Thought “eh, cool offer,” and kept moving.

But every time you scroll past, you’re walking away from free access to tools you’d normally pay thousands for.

Here’s what paid subscribers actually get:

• User Interviews → 5 participants handed to you, no chasing, no ghosting

• Askable → one month of their Industry Stream, recruitment done for you

• Lyssna → six months of the Basic plan, so tests don’t drag on forever

• Condens → six months of the Lite plan, transcripts and insights finally under control

An annual subscription to this Substack costs less than what you’d spend on a single round of recruitment (or Spotify). The difference is, you’ll come away with tools that actually make your workflow lighter.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll try that tool when I have time,” this is that time. Get the stack. Stop making research harder than it needs to be.

Now on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

Securing Stakeholder Buy-In to Make Research Impossible to Ignore (Event) by Rally

You can run a solid study and still watch it collect dust. The issue usually isn’t the research, it’s the people. This session is about fixing that before it starts. I will walk through five steps to build buy-in early, when it actually matters. We’ll cover how to identify the real decision-makers, spot what drives them, and get ahead of pushback before it hits. You’ll get practical ways to create micro-commitments, document alignment, and move research out of the “interesting” bucket. These steps have worked across org charts, egos, and last-minute pivots. If your research keeps stalling, getting reshaped, or ignored altogether, you’re not doing anything wrong, you’re missing a system.

02.

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You’ve scrolled past this before.

Thought “eh, cool offer,” and kept moving.

But every time you scroll past, you’re walking away from free access to tools you’d normally pay thousands for.

Here’s what paid subscribers actually get:

• User Interviews → 5 participants handed to you, no chasing, no ghosting

• Askable → one month of their Industry Stream, recruitment done for you

• Lyssna → six months of the Basic plan, so tests don’t drag on forever

• Condens → six months of the Lite plan, transcripts and insights finally under control

An annual subscription to this Substack costs less than what you’d spend on a single round of recruitment (or Spotify). The difference is, you’ll come away with tools that actually make your workflow lighter.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll try that tool when I have time,” this is that time. Get the stack. Stop making research harder than it needs to be.

Subscribe now

Now on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

AI Asked. Researchers Answered. How Researchers Really Feel About AI. (Event) by Outset

AI isn’t slowing down, and neither are the questions researchers have about it. On September 16, Outset is hosting a live session where I’ll be sharing results from a study I ran that used AI-moderated interviews to ask researchers directly what they think about AI (hugely meta). We’re talking unfiltered reactions: the excitement, the fear, and the very real impact on our day-to-day work. I’ll be joined by Aaron Cannon, Outset’s CEO, and together we’ll unpack how researchers are actually using AI today and what that means for the future of the role. Half the session is findings, half is open Q&A so bring your own opinions and see how they stack up against what we heard. If you want to walk away ready to handle the next “but can’t AI just do that?” moment, this is worth registering for.

02.

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Let’s do it!

Link roundup

01.

Conversations, Not Checkboxes (Article) by Conjointly + me!

I wrote this with Conjointly after too many surveys that collected answers but missed the story. The piece shows how conversational surveys turn “pick one” into “tell me what actually happened,” with smart follow-ups that probe, validate, and keep responders honest. I share prompts and guardrails I use in real projects, so you’re not guessing at phrasing or flow. I’ve used this format to surface blockers teams couldn’t see in interviews, and it helped unlock decisions in days, not weeks.

02.

Caitria O'Neill on the Problems of Research Reports (Podcast) by User Interviews

If your beautifully formatted deck keeps getting parked in a folder, this episode hits home. Caitria breaks down why reports stall out and what to ship instead—decision memos, living docs, teardown notes that feed tickets, and short read-outs tied to one choice. I nodded through the part on “report theater,” where teams expect a show and leave without actions. You’ll walk away with simpler deliverables that move work forward and a cleaner path from finding to fix.

03.

The new Usability heuristics (Article) by Michael Dian

Michael refreshes the classics for the products we’re actually building now: permissions, AI-assisted flows, trust, and reversibility. The language is tight, the criteria are testable, and the examples map neatly to modern patterns. I bookmarked the framing on error recovery and user agency; it slots straight into heuristic scorecards and review checklists. If your team still leans on a dusty top-10, this gives you sharper edges without bloating the list.

04.

Bots, lies & alibis: Protecting your research from fraud (Video) by Rally UXR

Participant fraud is no longer a fringe problem, and this talk treats it like an operational risk with a clear playbook. You get tells to watch for, like copy-paste bios, unnatural response cadence, device stacks that don’t add up, and concrete screening moves that take minutes to set up. I lifted two ideas right away: dynamic math checks and scenario echoes that expose coached answers. It’s pragmatic, calm, and built for teams that need stronger gates without wrecking timelines.

05.

Adapting the Value Proposition Canvas to Communicate Research Value (Article) by Dawn Ta

Dawn flips the VPC to sell research inside the business, not just products to customers. Map stakeholder jobs, pains, and gains to your study plan, then show how findings plug directly into risk reduction, revenue, or speed. I used a version of this in a QBR and landed a roadmap slot since leadership finally saw the line from churn pain to a tighter activation path. If you need a one-pager that gets a yes, start here.

Tired of duct-taping your career together with free Google Docs and blind optimism?

Cool. Same.

That’s why I made the Everything UXR Bundle—a glorious, done-for-you treasure trove of research templates, toolkits, and strategy guides for people who are done second-guessing themselves and ready to run the damn show.

Used by teams at Google, Spotify, and probably your boss’s boss’s boss.

Inside, you’ll get the stuff that saves your time, sanity, and “omg did I forget the debrief doc again?” moments:

→ 140+ hours a year handed back to you on silver-plated templates and guides

→ 40% more productive (which is just a nice way of saying “less time faffing, more time owning the room”)

→ 50% more research actually used because your insights stop sounding like sad diary entries

And since you’re one of the brilliant weirdos who actually pays to read my emails (a hero, honestly), you get 20% off.

Use code URAWESOME at checkout.

Now go forth and be the researcher they turn to. Not the one they “circle back” on.

Become the very best

Stay curious,

Nikki

Hello curious human!

If you do user research, this might be the best deal you’ll see all year. And it doesn’t involve downloading yet another dusty-ass PDF.

User Interviews, Condens, Lyssna, and Askable have teamed up to do something wildly generous:

They’re handing you free access to their tools, real product access, real value.

No bait. No switch. No demo.

All you need? An annual subscription to this Substack.

This isn’t some tepid “template library” you forget about after two clicks.

You’re getting tools that help you:

• Stop chasing flaky participants

• Quit drowning in transcripts

• Test what matters (without making it a six week-long ordeal)

• Collect feedback without running a full study

If you’ve ever said “I should try that tool when I have time,” this is your invitation to stop waiting.

You’ve got work to do and now, the tools to do it right.

👇 Subscribe, get the tools, and actually make your workflow suck less. See all the deets:

Grab the tool bundle

Now on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

The New UX Tech Stack: How to Strategically Use AI (Event) by dscout

This session’s happening on August 20th, and I’m flagging it because most AI discussions feel either way too hand-wavy or way too hyped. Laurel and I will focus on actual ways we use AI in user research, with the literal prompts we use and talking through the best ways to treat AI to build efficiency. If you’re trying to figure out how to build an AI setup that supports your brain instead of replacing it, this is one to show up for.

02.

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Summer has returned to Jersey — we went through a bit of a cooler period with clouds and a bit of rain (which is nice because then I don’t have to water my garden everyday!) but summer is back in action. I’ve expanded my garden slightly with some more flowers, red lettuce, and spinach. And my tomatoes and tomato-ing. It’s fun to pick things off the balcony and throw them into a salad. Now to do this at 100x scale?! One day! In the meantime, my balcony will have to do!

And just a reminder, because who would I be without mentioning one of the coolest things I’ve done in my career yet:

If you do user research, this might be the best deal you’ll see all year. And it doesn’t involve downloading yet another dusty-ass PDF.

User Interviews, Condens, Lyssna, and Askable have teamed up to do something wildly generous:

They’re handing you free access to their tools, real product access, real value.

No bait. No switch. No demo.

All you need? An annual subscription to this Substack.

This isn’t some tepid “template library” you forget about after two clicks.

You’re getting tools that help you:

• Stop chasing flaky participants

• Quit drowning in transcripts

• Test what matters (without making it a six week-long ordeal)

• Collect feedback without running a full study

If you’ve ever said “I should try that tool when I have time,” this is your invitation to stop waiting.

You’ve got work to do and now, the tools to do it right.

👇 Subscribe, get the tools, and actually make your workflow suck less. See all the deets:

Grab the tool bundle

Now on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

Build Your Winning UXR Case Study (Event) by UxCel

If you’ve been avoiding writing your case study like it’s a tax return, this session is your gentle (but firm) kick in the butt. Lena Kul and I are hosting this live on August 7th, and it’s 90 minutes of actual doing, not just listening to someone ramble about what makes a good case study. You’ll walk away with a real, usable outline (not just vibes) and a structure that hiring managers actually want to see. Take this as your time blocked off to finally get it done with support.

02.

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Hello curious human!

My mom has come to visit me, hailing all the way from South Carolina to the little island of Jersey I live on. I’ve been doing my best to hobble around with my semi-healed broken toe (yup, still there and still complaining) and we’re off for an overnight trip to St. Malo this weekend. Fingers crossed the cobblestones aren’t too cobbly.

And just a reminder, because who would I be without mentioning one of the coolest things I’ve done in my career yet:

If you do user research, this might be the best deal you’ll see all year. And it doesn’t involve downloading yet another dusty-ass PDF.

User Interviews, Condens, Lyssna, and Askable have teamed up to do something wildly generous:

They’re handing you free access to their tools, real product access, real value.

No bait. No switch. No demo.

All you need? An annual subscription to this Substack.

This isn’t some tepid “template library” you forget about after two clicks.

You’re getting tools that help you:

• Stop chasing flaky participants

• Quit drowning in transcripts

• Test what matters (without making it a six week-long ordeal)

• Collect feedback without running a full study

If you’ve ever said “I should try that tool when I have time,” this is your invitation to stop waiting.

You’ve got work to do and now, the tools to do it right.

👇 Subscribe, get the tools, and actually make your workflow suck less.

Subscribe now

Now on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

Turn Insights into Action: How to Keep Your Research Alive After the Readout (Guide) by Condens (and me!)

Yes, I’m linking to my own guide. Yes, I think it’s that useful. If you’ve ever done a killer piece of research only to watch it slowly die in someone’s inbox, this one’s for you. It’s packed with ways to keep your insights alive, influence decisions after the readout, and make sure your work doesn’t just “raise awareness” and then disappear. I wrote this because too many researchers are doing excellent work that doesn’t see the light of day and it doesn’t have to be that way. This is 11 years worth of my blood, sweat, and tears getting people to care. Bookmark it, share it, steal from it, and let it help you actually move the needle.

02.

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Hello curious human!

It’s 32°C (aka 90°F) here in Jersey and it’s only 9:30am. We’re officially in “why do I exist without aircon” territory. Tragically, I’m still stuck with a fractured toe (yes, the sandal is ugly, yes, I’m mad about it) and all I can do is stare longingly at the ocean.

But you know what’s keeping me from going full gremlin?

🔥 The UXR TOOLS BUNDLE LAUNCHED🔥

And this one’s different.

User Interviews, Condens, Lyssna, and Askable have teamed up to do something wildly generous: they’re giving free access to their tools, just for paid, annual subscribers of this Substack.

This bundle isn’t a download. It’s not a PDF graveyard.

It’s actual product access to four of the best tools in our field. Tools that help you recruit smarter, synthesize faster, test confidently, and get sh*t done without pulling a muscle (or a 12-hour shift).

This is for every researcher who’s been meaning to “try that tool someday” but hasn’t had the time, budget, or energy. Subscribe to a year of amazing content and kickass tools below:

Subscribe now

Now on to this week’s roundup…

Link roundup

01.

Schools of Thought on Sample Sizes in UX Research (Article) by Jeff Sauro and Jim Lewis

This piece is a rare thing: a breakdown of sample size logic that doesn’t make you want to cry or quit your job. Sauro and Lewis walk through the major “schools” of thinking, statistical, decision-driven, and estimation-based, so you can actually make choices with more than just guesswork or gut. I liked how it lays out the trade-offs without preaching. It’s the kind of article you bookmark for your next team debate or when you need to defend your numbers with something stronger than “I read it once in a Slack thread.”

02.

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Hello curious human!

I finally did it. I had my first real surfing accident and am currently in a cycle of elevating, icing, and wishing my foot would magically heal. I came down pretty hard on my right foot when dismounting my surfboard the other day. I decided to head to A&E when the pain got pretty bad as I was nervous I’d broken or fractured something.

But after a 4.5 hour wait (10:30pm to 3am - I am not built for staying up that late), I gave up and hobbled back home. There was no communication about how long I’d have to wait, what priority I was, or where I stood in the queue. People who arrived after me were seen quickly, and even when I was the only person in the waiting room, I still wasn’t called. Eventually someone came in with appendix pain, and I knew my shot was gone.

This is exactly where feedback in the moment matters.

Not after the fact, not in some generic survey weeks later. Right there, while I was frustrated, uncertain, and in pain, a little clarity could’ve changed everything: my perception of the experience, my patience, even whether I chose to stay.

The same holds true in product and service experiences. Whether someone’s in a hospital, on a retail site, or halfway through onboarding, they’re having real reactions, in real time. And if we can’t catch them right then, we miss the chance to make things better.

That’s what I love about what Sprig enables. It helps teams capture those in-situ reactions, the stuff people won’t remember later, or won’t bother telling you. From hospital patients to someone shopping for jeans, that feedback isn’t just helpful, it’s the difference between fixing a frustrating moment or letting it define the experience.

Try Sprig!

Now, on to this week’s round-up…

Link roundup

01.

The AI Shift: Transforming How We Discover, Imagine, and Design (Webinar recording) by dscout

This recording is packed with clear, direct insight into how people are actually managing democratized research on the ground. The guests from Dropbox and Mastercard walk through the practical stuff like training, opt-in models, boundary-setting without sugarcoating the trade-offs. It’s grounded, honest, and refreshingly actionable. If you’re tired of vague advice and want to see how real teams have built systems that hold up, this is worth your time.

02.

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Hello curious human!

I recently traveled to Prague and back (for WebExpo) on British Airways. Now, since I live in Jersey, there are very limited airlines I’m able to travel on, one of the main and most convenient one bring BA.

So I went to check in the night before and get my boarding pass. Lo and behold, they said I needed to check into the desk to get my boarding pass because my travel documents weren’t going to work. Well, that freaked me out. Then I remembered I got a new passport. I then went in to change my passport details. Done. Obviously this meant I could check in and get my boarding pass.

Absolutely not. The error persisted. I then went down a rabbit hole looking at all the BA errors:

I arrived extra early the next morning (not too thrilled since I was on a 7am flight) and they said my passport hadn’t updated. She updated my passport. Only, it took 15 minutes. I then asked if they had any upgrades I could use my points for. This took another 30 minutes. Luckily I had arrived early enough, but I was shocked.

If I could’ve jumped ship (or plane, I guess) to another carrier, I would’ve. And this is why critical user journeys are SO important. It was a breakdown in one of the most make-or-break moments in the entire travel experience, where a customer decides whether they trust you to get them where they need to go, or whether they start quietly Googling competitors.

That’s why I’ve been working with Sprig in helping teams identify and focus research around those pivotal journeys, so you’re not guessing where to improve. Whether it’s activation, onboarding, checkout, or anything else core to your product’s success, Sprig makes it easier to gather real feedback in the moment and connect it to what actually matters.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why your metrics aren’t moving, even after redesigning a flow, there’s a good chance you’re not looking closely enough at your CUJs. And if that’s the case, Sprig is one of the best places to start.

Try Sprig

Link roundup

01.

Level up the impact of your UX research (Live course) by Ruby Pryor

Ruby’s course is designed for researchers who are done with running solid studies that still get sidelined. She’s walking through how to connect your research to business decisions, influence product direction, and make your work stick. I’ve seen Ruby’s work firsthand and she teaches in a way that’s practical, honest, and actually useful. Use code Nikki10 if you’re planning to join, it gives you a discount at checkout.

02.

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Hello curious human!

I’ve just finished packing for Prague — I’m speaking at WebExpo next week and am super excited (if you grab a ticket, you can use the code NIKKI25 for a 15% discount). I’ve been to Prague once before but am really stoked to be visiting again and meeting so many amazing people.

With that said, work still continues on, as always, and I just brought on a new client who has never done user research before. So, naturally, we are starting low-lift with a survey. Since they’ve never done this work before, they didn’t have access to any tools and, after years of manual survey work, I couldn’t bring myself to go down that route since I’m traveling and juggling other work, so I’m popping the survey into Sprig. Not only does it make it easier to create, but Sprig’s insight dashboards are visually stunning and make it easy to share with people who are newer to UXR.

So, if you are sick of doing surveys manually or just want to experiment with a new tool, I highly recommend trying Sprig:

Try Sprig

Link roundup

01.

Research Week (Event) by Learners

Research Week is coming up, and it’s packed with thoughtful sessions across different corners of UX. I’m especially looking forward to the mix of hands-on advice and bigger-picture thinking, from methods and career paths to how research is shifting across teams. It’s the kind of line-up that gives you energy and sharpens your thinking at the same time. If you’re feeling stuck or just want to connect with others in the field, this will be a good one to tune into.

02.

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Hello curious human,

I’m currently sat outside sweating as I write this. I don’t remember the last time that happened…the weather here has been glorious. So, obviously something’s gotta give and that something is the fact that Poncho simply cannot with warm weather, except when he’s on the beach (exhibit A below), so I truly believe he’s faking it half the time.

Anyways, surf season is starting this week — I got in the water last weekend and survived for about one hour, although got absolutely pummelled by the waves, so I think it’ll be a slow start. Crossing my fingers the weather continues to be good here, and also wherever you are in the world! Although it’s much harder to stay inside and run my research studies when the sun is shining 🙈

So if you’re feeling the same vibe and want to speed up your research process, I hugely recommend trying out Condens, as it has hugely sped up my process, from surfacing helpful insights to ensuring we’re not repeating research (and giving me more time for the sun!)

Try Condens!

Link roundup

01.

Mapping Critical User Journeys with Nikki Anderson (Event) by Sprig

I’ll be joining Sprig for a live AMA all about mapping critical user journeys, what they are, how to identify them, and why they matter more than ever in today’s product environment. We’ll dig into how to uncover the moments that make or break your user experience, and how to align research around those flows to drive better decisions. Whether you’re working on activation, retention, or just trying to get more strategic with your insights, this session will give you practical ways to turn journey mapping into action—not just a pretty diagram. Bring your questions!

02.

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I’ve been working with a client to revisit their onboarding experience. Before jumping into new research, we wanted to understand what had already been learned across past studies, stakeholder interviews, and feedback channels. The problem was (as many clients have) all of that was fragmented across tools, docs, and slide decks with no central way to connect the dots.

I used Condens to bring everything into one place. I imported user interview transcripts, past moderated studies, and stakeholder summaries going back almost two years. Then I created a tagging system across common onboarding themes, like “signup friction,” “account verification,” “value clarity,” and “activation moment,” and applied those across all the transcripts. I also brought in past product feedback reports and layered in a competitor onboarding teardown, tagging those with similar themes so I could spot overlaps and gaps.

Condens’ filtering made it easy to zoom in on patterns across user segments and time, like which issues only affected first-time users, or which friction points kept coming up in year-on-year research. It became clear that three of the major problems they were about to commission new research on had already been identified multiple times. That helped us avoid an unnecessary (and expensive) foundational project and move straight into prototyping.

I saved the team weeks of work and a chunk of budget, and they’ve now brought me back in to support usability testing on the redesigned flow. While this kind of work can be tedious, it is hugely important in showcasing our impact as UXRs, both in-house and as consultants.

If you’re sitting on a pile of past research and not sure where to start, Condens is the tool I’d recommend to actually make use of it. Use this link to grab a 60-day free trial.

Resume review

I’ve had a lot of people ask about resumes recently and so I decided that I’m going to do something different. I’m going to take five resumes and review them via video so that not only is that person getting feedback BUT others can learn from the review as well—this video will be posted on Substack, LinkedIn, and Youtube. I will be taking the name off all resumes.

I will randomly select five resumes and record in the upcoming weeks. If you’re interested in being a part of this and also helping others learn, please fill out the quick google form below:

Submit your resume

Link roundup

01.

The Complex Landscape of UX Quant vs Qual Research with Surveys Deep Dive (Podcast) by Blatz Chatz

Okay, full disclosure, this one’s a bit special because it’s me and Ruby being interviewed by Jen. We got deep into the messiness of using surveys in UX, what works, what doesn’t, and why so many teams get it wrong. It’s honest, opinionated, and full of the little behind-the-scenes moments that don’t always make it into polished talks. If you’ve ever felt stuck between wanting better survey data and not knowing how to get it, I think you’ll really appreciate this one. It was such a fun and thoughtful conversation to be part of.

02.

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You ever open ten tabs trying to find the “right” tool…only to end up using Google Docs again? Same.

I’m running a quick survey to understand what tools user researchers actually use, if there’s a real “stack,” or if we’re all just winging it. The goal is to surface what’s working, what’s not, and where there’s room to make tooling less painful (no, I’m not building a tool, I just want to make sense of the chaos). I’ll share the findings publicly once I’ve got enough responses, so feel free to pass it on.

Take the UXR tool survey!

Tools to use:

Condens

Condens has become a huge help when it comes to pulling together past research, including secondary research (such an under-utilized method by the way!!). Check out my favorite secondary research resources, and then use Condens to bring them all together!

Breyta.ai

Want to see how I use Breyta to speed up my synthesis? Check out the video here.

Link roundup

01.

Making an Impact with User Research: How to Drive Change and Get Noticed (Event) by Condens

There’s a lot of fear in the air right now with teams being cut, budgets shrinking, and this unspoken pressure for researchers to constantly prove their value. This event is all about how we actually define impact (beyond just metrics), how to reverse engineer our projects to drive that kind of impact, and how to communicate research in a way that gets noticed—not buried in a doc. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty, how to bring stakeholders in early, how to challenge reactive work, and how to track your own impact for things like promotions or resume updates. I’ll also be sharing my personal impact tracker template with attendees, as a little gift to help you capture your wins.

02.

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Spring is trying so hard to Spring here in Jersey. We’ve had a few nice days sprinkled in but I am certainly longing for real warm weather that lasts more than a few hours…maybe in a few weeks.

You know what else I’m longing for? For you to take this survey! I’m trying to understand what kind of tools user researchers use in their “stack” or if there even is a stack at all. The reason I’m doing this is to see how I can help with improvements in the UXR tool space (not by creating a new tool, but just through information) and if there is any way we can make tooling easier for UXRs. I’ll be creating a report based on this information to share publicly as soon as I get enough responses. So please share around!

Take the UXR tool survey!

Tools to use:

Breyta.ai

What if the biggest risk to your research practice isn’t bad methods but forgetfulness? I’m serious. The toughest part of being a researcher isn’t always the work itself. but realizing that no one (sometimes not even you) remembers what you found six months ago. You end up repeating studies, answering the same questions, or defending insights you know exist somewhere…but can’t find. It’s a slow erosion of your influence. And it’s avoidable.

Breyta saved me from reinventing the wheel more times than I can count. I used to waste so much time trying to figure out what we already knew, what we missed, and where we should go next. Breyta helps me track themes across projects, so I’m not just reacting, I’m building. I can see gaps, connect dots, and spot the “we already knew this” moments before I start planning. It’s how I make sure every project has momentum instead of feeling like a standalone effort. If your research feels like a string of one-offs instead of a compounding body of knowledge, you need this tool. Sign up for a free trial!

Condens

Condens has become my go-to for bringing stakeholders into the research in a way that actually sticks. I used to send decks or docs that barely got read and now I can just share a link, and people can explore findings on their own terms. It’s fast, visual, and doesn’t overwhelm them with detail they don’t need. When someone asks, “What did users say about onboarding again?” I can show them exactly where it lives, tagged, quoted, and connected to other studies. It’s made conversations faster, decisions easier, and my insights way more visible. If you want your research to actually drive action, not just live in a file, Condens is a game-changer. This includes secondary research. I’ve actually compiled a secondary research magazine in Condens for a client and it’s completely changed how we start research projects, and the quality of research requests I receive (not to mention, it helps me triangulate data better!). Sign up for a free 30-day trial!

Link roundup

01.

Your ultimate list for secondary research resources (Resources) by Me!

Okay yes, I made this, but it’s actually something I reference constantly. This is a living list of tools, libraries, and databases, I’ve pulled together to make secondary research way less of a pain and way more strategic. Whether you’re starting a project and need to get the lay of the land, or you’re trying to back up your insights with solid context, this resource saves you from going down a hundred rabbit holes. I made it because I couldn’t find anything like it all in one place, so now you don’t have to either.

02.

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This is one of those weeks where my chai latte consumption is dangerously close to “is this a personality trait now?” levels. But honestly, between the rain and the workload, it feels justified. I’m in the middle of a research study right now which is so super interesting (GenAI stuff, of course!), and I’m really enjoying this particular study because it’s complex and focused on participant’s comprehension. For me, it’s fascinating to listen to how people talk through how they understand something and their mental models on a particular topic…this very situation is why I became a user researcher!

Tools to use:

Breyta.ai

I used to spend way too much time untangling past research projects, trying to spot what we’d already learned and what gaps were still there. It always felt like I was reinventing the wheel—pulling insights from different places, second-guessing whether we had really dug deep enough, and realizing too late that we should have asked a different set of questions. Then I started using Breyta, and it completely changed the way I approach project analysis. It helps me track themes across studies, so I don’t miss those oh-wait-we-already-knew-this moments. I can spot gaps faster, ask better questions up front, and make sure every new study builds on the last. If you’ve ever wished your research had more momentum instead of feeling like a series of disconnected projects, Breyta is a game-changer. Sign up for a free trial!

Condens

I once ran a study where we uncovered an insight that completely changed how the team approached a feature. A few months later, someone asked about it—and I could not remember where that insight was buried. Was it in a deck? A doc? Slack? I wasted an embarrassing amount of time searching before realizing I needed a better system. Condens solved that for me. Now, when I need to resurface insights, everything is right there, fully searchable, and easy to connect across studies. It’s not just about storing research—it’s about making it effortless to pull the right insights at the right time. If you’ve ever felt like your best research disappears into the void, Condens will save you hours (and possibly your sanity). Sign up for a free 30-day trial!

Link roundup

01.

The State of AI in UXR (Report) by Condens

If you’ve been wondering what’s actually happening with AI in user research, beyond the hype, this report is worth your time. This article dives into how researchers are using AI, what’s working (and what’s not), and where the field is headed. I really appreciate that it cuts through the noise and gives a grounded look at real-world applications rather than just speculation. Whether you’re cautiously curious or already experimenting with AI in your workflow, this report will help you get a pulse on where things stand and what’s next.

02.

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We’re nine weeks into the year and, honestly, January felt both quick and also like an entire year in and of itself - am I right? It is way too cold and rainy in Jersey, but I keep looking at next week and hoping it will get better, I’m somehow still in denial of winter. However, Poncho and Smash are both looking cute as always, so the rain makes for a good excuse to cuddle with them both and watch some movies. Hope you’re having a great week so far!

Tool to use: Breyta.ai

So I’ve now used Breyta for three separate projects - both for generative based research and usability tests and I’m really happy with the results. It is helping me a lot with streamlining during the annoying and inefficient “in-between phases.” Instead of me having to review every single interview extremely deeply and write up a summary, Breyta helps me with creating that overarching summary and, to be honest, it’s pretty on point, even with the one-off insights that I would like to include in my reports. Does it replace my brain? Absolutely not, but it helps me with streamlining my process so that not only my reports come together faster, but I can easily share clips and interesting tidbits to keep my stakeholders engaged along the way. They have a free trial on now, give it a try.

01.

Advancing Research (Events) by Rosenfeld Media

If you’re serious about taking your research career to the next level, Advancing Research is one event you don’t want to miss. Rosenfeld Media always puts on high-quality conferences, but what makes this one special is its focus on the future of user research—where we’re headed, how we can drive more impact, and the big shifts happening in the field. Expect to hear from some of the sharpest minds in research, covering everything from AI’s role in UX to the evolving expectations of researchers in product teams. If you’re looking for an event that will challenge your thinking and expand your toolkit, this is it.

02.

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It has been quite the busy month for me already — in person workshop in London, a user research project kicking off, lots of podcast recordings (both for mine and others!) and a few other projects underway. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and I can start to feel burnt out, but I tend to take on more work over the winter so my summers can be more relaxed (at least that’s the plan 🏄!). But, for now, I am just making sure to keep a break every day to walk Poncho in the afternoon — gives me time to do some thinking! I hope you’ve had a nice week so far and I’m excited to share what’s on for this week.

New tool to use: Breyta.ai

Breyta is a different tool. Think a repository where stakeholders can use a chatbot embedded in the findings in order to get exactly what they are looking for, with raw data cited, without having to ping you 97 times asking where that one piece of data is, or if you can remember if a participant said something about something in one of the 83,645 interviews you’ve done so far. I also use it to help me with getting a clear indication on themes across interviews and providing me direct quotes and video clips (gone are my quicktime editing days!!). They have a free trial on now, give it a try.

Where I’m speaking next:

• The new rules of UX research: influence and impact in 2025 (Webinar) by Askable — February 20th, 12:30-1:30pm GMT (register for the recording if you can’t make it). I’m so excited to be continuing conversations on the evolution of user research — we are the drivers behind this exciting evolution — and to talk through ways I personally increased my influence and impact within organizations, and how I continue to match user research with business within my consultancy. Hope to see you there!

01.

Ways to Grow as a UX Leader (Events) by UX Researchers' Guild

If you’re looking to level up as a UX leader, this event is worth adding to your calendar. The UX Researchers’ Guild is bringing together experienced leaders to talk about the skills, mindsets, and strategies that help researchers grow into leadership roles. Whether you’re aiming for a lead role, already managing a team, or just curious about what leadership really entails, this event will offer insights from people who’ve been there. I love that it’s not just about career progression but also about the real challenges of leading research teams and influencing decisions. Definitely a great chance to learn, ask questions, and connect with others thinking about the same path.

02.

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