Conducting impactful User Research includes much more than executing a set of tasks on various platforms. In today’s Ask Like A Pro Observer Check-in, we discussed some of the soft skills required to excel in the industry.

These soft skills are much harder to teach, and to learn, than technical skills. The following will come into play BEFORE gathering any data so it pays to hone these skills sooner rather than later. Want to improve? Practice how to:

• Gain stakeholder alignment

• Manage disparate personalities and agendas

• Prioritize key questions

• Build a collaborative and inclusive process

• Focus on solving problems, not being “right”

• Identify and mitigate bias

• Educate and evangelize for ethical, responsible research

• Negotiate between the big picture and the details

• Communicate clearly, frequently, and succinctly

• Learn how to ask great “how" and “why” questions (move past “what")

Remember, UX is a team sport!

What else would you add to this list of soft skills required BEFORE gathering data?

Would another list of soft skills required for conducting, analyzing, synthesizing, and presenting research be helpful?

Please lmk in the comments below!