Welcome to the Universal Lens Channel. Getting to the bottom of all things human-centered design. I'm your host Chris Kovel.

In this episode of our "In Dialogues" series, we are pleased to bring you our conversation with Kathryn Brookshier. Chris and Kathryn sit down to chat about several issues within the nascent and growing field of UX research. They discussed centralized vs. decentralized research models, the challenges faced by researchers on immature cross-functional product teams, the continual specialization of UX research job titles (a good thing!), and other topics.

However, the main reason Chris wanted to have Kathryn on was to discuss her publications that told an intriguing and possibly heterodox story about the state of UX in 2023 (see links below). This story is particularly relevant for anyone who is bearish about the future of UX or believes we are in the midst of a reckoning because tech has lost faith in design. 

Kathryn Brookshier is a mixed-methods UX research manager at Indeed and a lecturer for the University of Washington's Human-Centered Design and Engineering master's program. She holds a master's degree from the University of Washington in Human-Centered Design and Engineering and a bachelor's degree in Interaction Design from Olin College of Engineering. She is an active mentor with Hexagon UX in Seattle, WA.

Where to find Kathryn:

• https://kathrynbrookshier.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrookshier/

Where to find Chris:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-s-kovel-660029a6/
• www.chriskovel.com 

UX Research Job Postings Show the Discipline is Here to Stay

UX Job Listings Plunged in 2023

How Indeed Established a Major UX Research Org in Just a Few Years: