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
"Design schools are often governed by non-designers and are surprisingly conservative, slow to change, and sometimes exploit precarious gig workers."
Nathan Shedroff Hugh Dubberly Thomas J. McLeishHow Will Design be Taught When the Schools Shut Down?
May 8, 2026
"Spending more time doesn’t automatically make you productive, it just means you spent more time doing things."
John Paul de Guzman10k Screens Later: How We Became a Data-Driven Design Organization
September 24, 2024
"The key to combating survey fatigue is short surveys triggered at the right context, making respondents feel listened to and valued."
Aleksandra Korczynska Caroline Jarrett Justyna ParmeeSurvey Tools
March 12, 2026
"There are 500 plus people in the audience today, all deeply caring about their teams."
Kristin SkinnerTheme 2: Introduction and Provocation
January 8, 2024
"This conference felt like a professional bootcamp that helped me grow profoundly as a speaker and thinker."
Rachael Dietkus, LCSW Victor Udoewa Jennifer StricklandEverything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations
May 17, 2022
"Tradecraft is the making stuff, stagecraft is a kind of cross-functional therapy, and statecraft is organizational diplomacy."
Uday GajendarThe Rise of Meta-Design: A Starter Playbook
May 19, 2022
"Feedback is a lot like holding up a mirror. You're reflecting what's already working and like using a flashlight to hide in the corners."
Vanessa VarinFeedback: The Other F-Word
September 10, 2025
"Designers often describe what we do as problem solving and that’s fine, but it’s tied to a 19th-century view of design as preparing things to be manufactured."
Hugh DubberlyProblems with Problems: Reconsidering the Frame of Designing as Problem-Solving
June 19, 2019
"When done well, convergence means research isn’t a department, it’s a shared system of knowledge or a collective understanding that aligns teams."
Sean McKayCoexisting with non-researchers: Practical strategies for a democratized research future
March 11, 2025
