What do you do if you're a mid-career professional in usability testing and want to explore new career paths?

1 UX Researcher

A UX researcher is someone who conducts user research to understand the needs, behaviors, and preferences of the target audience for a product or service. UX researchers use various methods, such as interviews, surveys, observations, and experiments, to gather and analyze data that informs the design and development process. As a usability tester, you already have some experience in user research, especially in evaluating the usability and effectiveness of existing or prototype solutions. To become a UX researcher, you need to expand your knowledge and skills in other research methods, such as qualitative and quantitative analysis, user personas, journey maps, and usability metrics. You also need to develop your communication and presentation skills, as you'll have to share your insights and recommendations with stakeholders and designers.

3 UX Writer

A UX writer is someone who writes the content and copy for a product or service, such as headlines, labels, buttons, instructions, error messages, and notifications. UX writers use clear, concise, and consistent language to guide and engage the users throughout their experience with the solution. As a usability tester, you already have some experience in evaluating the clarity and effectiveness of the content and copy on the solution. To become a UX writer, you need to improve your writing and editing skills, as well as your understanding of the tone, voice, and style of the brand and the audience. You also need to collaborate with UX researchers, designers, and developers to ensure that the content and copy aligns with the user needs and goals, as well as the design and functionality of the solution.

4 Product Manager

A product manager is someone who oversees the development and delivery of a product or service, from ideation to launch. Product managers define the vision, strategy, and roadmap for the solution, as well as manage the requirements, features, and resources. Product managers also coordinate and communicate with various teams and stakeholders involved in the product lifecycle, such as UX researchers, designers, developers, testers, marketers, and customers. As a usability tester, you already have some experience in testing and validating the features and functionality of the solution, as well as identifying and prioritizing the user needs and pain points. To become a product manager, you need to develop your strategic and analytical skills, as well as your leadership and project management skills. You also need to have a broad and deep knowledge of the market, the industry, the competitors, and the technology.

5 Usability Consultant

A usability consultant is someone who provides usability testing and evaluation services to clients who want to improve the user experience of their products or services. Usability consultants use various tools and techniques, such as heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough, user testing, expert review, and usability audit, to assess and measure the usability and effectiveness of the solutions. Usability consultants also provide recommendations and solutions to address the usability issues and enhance the user satisfaction and loyalty. As a usability tester, you already have the core skills and experience in usability testing and evaluation. To become a usability consultant, you need to build your portfolio and reputation, as well as your business and marketing skills. You also need to adapt to different clients, projects, and domains, and keep up with the latest trends and standards in usability and user experience.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?