Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Three Years Out: Perspectives on the Near-Term Future of User Research
Summary
We know how things are at the start of 2024, and the long term future? That's anyone's guess. But what might the not-so-distant future look like for User Research? That's a horizon that's just around the corner—and one that you start planning for now. Join us for a free discussion with some UX research thought leaders who have some opinions you'll want to hear about the near future of our profession—and bring your own! We'll be hearing from Sam Proulx of Fable, Lija Hogan of UserTesting and Milan Mijatovic; moderated by Lou Rosenfeld. This Talk is Sponsored by Fable, an #AR2024 Virtual Sponsor.
Key Insights
-
•
AI-driven user experiences are becoming non-deterministic, meaning users will receive different outcomes even for the same actions.
-
•
UX research must shift focus from average user flows to designing for edge cases because now everyone experiences unique, evolving interfaces.
-
•
The traditional 100-page research report is becoming obsolete due to faster cycles and larger, mixed-method datasets.
-
•
Mixed methods research combining qualitative and quantitative data at scale will dominate the near future of UX research.
-
•
AI tools will increasingly assist researchers by automating base-level data synthesis but human interpretation remains crucial.
-
•
UX researchers need to become more data fluent, including knowledge of product analytics, surveys, and coding languages like Python or R.
-
•
Understanding assistive technologies and their innovations provides insights into the future of mainstream user interfaces.
-
•
Ethics and privacy in data collection are critical, especially when researching vulnerable or assistive technology users.
-
•
Regulations around AI, accessibility, and digital markets are rapidly increasing and impacting UX design and research.
-
•
New user interface paradigms like chatbots and AR present unique design challenges around user discoverability and interaction.
-
•
Large-scale in-product behavioral research requires new operational pipelines to properly represent and study edge cases.
-
•
Researchers must resist building tools before understanding their research needs; tool development should be problem-driven.
-
•
UX professionals will increasingly wear multiple hats due to shrinking teams and budgets in tech environments.
-
•
Collaboration between researchers, engineers, product teams, and regulatory bodies is more essential than ever.
-
•
The future of UX research includes focusing on the human element — empathic connection amid technological complexity.
-
•
Data alone isn’t enough — quality and relevance of data trump quantity in driving meaningful insights.
Notable Quotes
"If you press the exact same button today and tomorrow you get two different results, that’s non-deterministic UX."
"Now everyone’s an edge case, so research needs to focus on those edge cases, not just the average user."
"The era of 100-page reports is ending because we simply can’t produce them fast enough at scale."
"Mixed methods researchers will need to trust AI for base-level synthesis but still bring human meaning making."
"UX researchers should learn Python or R and how to leverage AI APIs to process unstructured data."
"Understanding how assistive technology evolves is crucial because it foretells the future of interface design."
"We need to become data ethicists and curators, not just data vacuum cleaners, to prioritize quality data."
"Regulations are design problems, not just technical ones, influencing how we create products and experiences."
"Future UX includes designing for user discovery in conversational and augmented interfaces, not just clicks."
"Being fluent in multiple data languages and understanding behavioral and attitudinal data will be essential."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"No role exists in isolation, said Fred Rogers, emphasizing interconnectedness beyond the individual."
Daniel GloydDesigning From the Inside Out: How Method Acting Can Inspire Design Research
February 12, 2026
"Starting meetings with simple icebreakers or sharing pronouns and locations really breaks the ice and builds relationships."
Deirdre Hirschtritt Cesar Paredes Marie PerrotResearch is Only as Good as the Relationships You Build
November 17, 2022
"We chose to focus on research because we wanted to mirror, a bit more robust, the capability of the design teams to understand client needs."
Benjamin RealMaturity Models: A Core Tool for Creating a DesignOps Strategy
October 1, 2021
"If you think fossil fuel companies are going to help us solve this, then we probably have a very different idea of how this system works."
Max Gadney Andrea Petrucci Joshua Stehr Hannah WickesAssessing UX jobs for impact in climate
August 14, 2024
"Ivana will teach you how to scale fast and big from day one through product operations."
Lada GorlenkoTheme 1: Intro
January 8, 2024
"Within five minutes and two seconds, they just dove right in and started collaborating."
Feyikemi AkinwolemiwaPlay to innovate: How curiosity and experimentation transform UX
March 11, 2026
"Sponsor sessions are optional but offer incredibly high content, and they are not sales pitches."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
March 29, 2023
"Replacing the entire body with an avatar future-proofs against unanticipated identifiers like tattoos or moles."
Llewyn Paine[Demo] Deploying AI doppelgangers to de-identify user research recordings
June 5, 2024
"OKRs can sometimes suck the oxygen out of the room if they focus only on bottom-line results, missing process and experience."
Bria Alexander Benson Low Natalya Pemberton Stephanie GoldthorpeOKRs—Helpful or Harmful?
January 20, 2022
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
What benefits come from integrating apprenticeship or internship models into design education?
In what ways does the Rosenbot promote self-directed, on-demand learning for UX professionals?
What human oversight processes are necessary to ensure the accuracy and relevance of AI-enhanced research repositories?