Cultivating UX Insights: My Experience as a UX Research Intern

“To create more accessible, equitable, and inclusive designs, it is important to talk to people”

– Julia Zhou, former VP of Product Design at Meta

In the realm of User Experience (UX) design, it all begins with a simple idea – an idea that often grows into something revolutionary. I like to think of this process as planting a seed, nurturing it, and watching it flourish into a fruitful tree. The seed, in this case, symbolizes the identification of a problem that can be solved through designs that are not just accessible, but equitable and inclusive. But to truly comprehend the intricacies of the problem, we must engage with diverse voices, listen, empathize, and learn from the people who will ultimately interact with our designs.

During the summer of 2023, I participated in an internship as a UX researcher at SkillUp Online, an online platform for career development. My knowledge of UX research was limited when I started, but I saw this as an opportunity to grow into a well-rounded UX designer. The chance to understand our target audience and to learn how to conduct in-depth research on their needs was a challenge I eagerly embraced.

My internship journey followed a similar path as to the growth of a fruit tree:

1. Planting the Seed (Identifying the Problem): SkillUp Online desired to extend its career advancement courses to American college students, but their marketing efforts weren’t persuasive enough for their target audience. They needed deeper insight into the preferences and readiness of college students for their future careers.

2. Watering the Seed (Conducting Research through Interviews): I conducted a series of 15 qualitative interviews with a diverse group of students at the University of Washington. These weren’t typical interviews; they were immersive explorations of their lives as university students.

3. Observing the Tree Start to Grow (Analyzing the Interviewee Responses):After the interviews, I developed user personas to identify the target audience. It was like painting a portrait of each student, capturing their backgrounds, aspirations, challenges, and how they engage with technology. 

4. Continuing to Water the Plant (Conducting Additional User Interviews): Armed with initial insights, I conducted more interviews, this time with a specific focus, to unearth deeper opinions about online career advancement platforms.

5. Collecting the Fruit (Analyzing the Findings and Providing Recommendations): With a large amount of insightful qualitative data, I began uncovering common threads. This enabled me to craft invaluable recommendations to enhance SkillUp Online’s marketing and refine their online courses for the college student market.

The experience I gained during this internship was nothing short of transformational. It echoed the wisdom of Julia Zhou, who said, “To create more accessible, equitable, and inclusive designs, it is important to talk to people.” The insights I gleaned from these conversations illuminated the path toward designing products that resonate with a diverse group of users.