π Reader,
I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't share some upcoming events with you.
π§βπ« Advocating for UX Resources with NNg. I have been hard at work building a brand new course for the Nielsen Norman Group (a huge honor). The FIRST cohort of that course kicks off next week (January 23). You can check it out here.
π° Make research relevant. The next cohort of Influential Research kicks off on January 30, 2025, at 8 am MST. You can join the 200+ satisfied students by registering here (save $100 off the Maven price here).
Your regular scheduled program...
Ever wonder what happened to typing pools? You know, those rooms full of skilled professionals cranking out business documents from chicken-scratch handwriting back in the 1950s?
As a detective-turned-product researcher, I see something fascinating here. The death of typing pools tells us exactly where UX research is heading.
Here's the scene of the crime:
Picture an executive in 1950. He's got an important memo to write. What does he do? Scribbles his thoughts on paper and sends it to the typing poolβthe gatekeepers of professional communication.
Fast forward to today. Sending work to a typing pool sounds ridiculous, right?
Why? Because technology democratized those skills. Everyone became their own typist.
Now, here's where it gets interesting...
The same thing is happening to UX research. And I've got the evidence to prove it:
EXHIBIT A: The Democratization of Research
- Product managers launching surveys in minutes
- Developers watching real user sessions
- Designers running remote tests from their desks
The specialized skills once locked in research departments? They're breaking free.
EXHIBIT B: The Driving Forces
- Tools are getting scary good (and easy to use)
- Product development moves at light speed
- Product-led growth made user understanding everyone's job
But here's the plot twist...
This ISN'T the death of UX research. It's evolution in action.
Think about it like this: In law enforcement, every officer knows how to gather evidence and interview witnesses. But detectives? We're the ones who:
- Design investigation strategies
- Connect dots across cases
- Ensure best practices
- Coach others
- Handle the complex stuff
The future UX researcher is becoming more like a detective:
- Part methodologist
- Part coach
- Part strategist
- Part operations expert
They're not disappearing β they're evolving into research enablers. Instead of hoarding all the research tasks, they're teaching others while tackling the complex challenges.
The Evidence Is Clear:
- Research tools = democratized
- Basic skills = universal
- Expert roles = transformed
Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
- Embrace the evolution
- Focus on enabling others
- Scale your impact
- Maintain research quality
- Lead the transformation
Because just like typing pools didn't die overnight, this transformation won't either. But it's happening. And those who adapt will thrive.
Remember: The typing pool's death didn't end professional document creationβit transformed it. The same is happening with UX research.
The question isn't whether this change is coming.
It's whether you'll be ready when it does.
Stay frosty,
/ari
P.S. Just like we don't miss the clacking of typewriters, we won't miss the old way of doing UX research. The future is distributed, democratized, and damn exciting. Let me show you how we get there.
Real Quick...
This is the part where I DO try to sell you something. If you want to learn how to use detective-grade investigation techniques to do great research fast, reply to this email or set up a call here, or if you are ready to jump in, click here.