The UXR Matching program aims to fill a gap - researchers need more experience to get a job, and they cannot get more experience without prior experience. Working with clients is essential, and even after taking classes and getting degrees, many people still need more practical experience.

What is UX Research?

User Experience Research is aimed at understanding users - what works well and what can be improved so they can use your website, app, or product intuitively and enjoy it. We aim to find the sweet spot between user needs and business goals. With great UX, people can find what they are looking for, they understand what it means, and they keep coming back for more, thus ensuring the success of the business.

Why join this program?

Businesses: You get to learn about your users and how you can improve your product(s) - products are usually websites and apps, but surveys, forms, and physical products can be tested too. All students will work closely with Jen Romano, PhD and will be trained/mentored by her. You will get the same high-quality research and insights that you would get working directly with Jen.

You will get:

• Summary of user behavior insights and key user pain points

• Expert advice on how to improve your product based on real user insights

• A research findings deck that you can share with your team.

Researchers: You get hands-on training in working with clients on their business problems and conducting real research with and for them. You will learn first-hand what to do when things do not go as planned and you have to pivot. You will learn how to handle difficult situations with stakeholders. All students will work closely with Jen Romano, PhD and will be trained/mentored by her. Other coaches may be part of the program as well.

You will get:

• A completed case study you can include in your portfolio

• Experience running real-world UX research with real clients

• Direct experience from an experienced UX researcher/working on a team.

What do you need to do?

Businesses: Attend 2-4 meetings, and share what you need. We will have a kick-off call in which we discuss your goals. Then we will plan the research and meet with you a second time to share the plan and make sure we are aligned. You will be invited to watch research sessions, where applicable. And at the end of the study, we will tell you what we learned about your customers, for example: what people need from your site/app, what their goals are, and where they struggle. We will share recommendations - sometimes very small tweaks in copy and/or design can make a big difference in the user's experience.

Researchers: Commit to working on a project in it's entirety. Once clients respond to their application form, we will know more about their business needs and time commitments. We will match you based on client needs and your needs (see questions in the form below).

• You will likely attend a few client meetings (e.g., a kick-off call in which we discuss client goals, a meeting to share the research plans, and a final meeting to share findings).

• You will need to plan the research (with Jen and team).

• You will need to conduct research (e.g., conduct 1:1 research sessions or a survey)

• You will create a findings report (e.g., a memo or full deck in which we share with the client what we learned - for example: what people need from the site/app, what their goals are, and where they struggle. We will share recommendations - for example, the show stoppers and the small tweaks in copy and/or design that can make a big difference in the user's experience.)

What will it cost?

Businesses: Nearly nothing. FYI, a classic small-scale UX Research project can cost around $8K USD (and go as high as $100K+). Because our goal is to provide training while offering you exceptional research, mentees will pay for coaching; therefore this price may be dramatically reduced. Once we know the methods we are using, we can give a cost estimate, while working with you and your budget. If we need participant incentives, we will ask you to cover those. It is not much - for example, for interviews, incentives may be $25-$50 per interview, and the project may cost you as little as $200 in total! Surveys may be free. We will discuss this further when we meet.

Researchers: Our goal is to provide hands-on training while serving clients who may have a limited budget. Once we know the clients' budget and their goals, we will have a better estimation of time and if there is a cost to you. If there is a cost to you, we estimate that it most likely will not exceed $2600.

Interested in the program?

Complete the form below - whether you are a business in need of research or a researcher in need of training - and we will be in touch soon to discuss next steps. If you have more questions, please reach out to Jen at jen@UXRcoach.com.