How can you find the best UX research resources and communities?

To get quick, thoughtful insights. I start with the Learners app. It is filled with some of our top voice in the field and provides answers to the most relevant questions right now. I've also enjoyed listening to Steve Portigal's Dollars to Donuts podcast and watching Aona Talks on Youtube. These two resource we key to helping me transition from academia into industry research.

Curated online resources are available online in most of the best content providing UX sites like N/N Group, UXPin, Medium and many more. Also in Linkedin many UXers and influencers share their curated materials specific to topics and themes like Design Thinking Process which is very effective for research. Not just social medias you can find best discussions about trending Generative AI in AI UX podcasts in Spotify.

Something I like a lot is joining WhatsApp groups. They offer a platform for sharing tools, thoughts, and doubts, while also learning from other professionals and their practices within their respective companies. The diverse range of design disciplines, expertise, career experiences, and personal traits among the participants enhances the discussions, providing valuable and fresh perspectives that enhance the overall debate.

I've enjoyed building community by taking courses on Maven like the Missing Foundations of UX Research with Noam Segal and the Cultivating Creative Collaboration with IdeoU. These learning communities help you connect in a more intentional way.

Benefits of Joining Online Communities Support and Collaboration: Being part of an online community means you're never alone in your UX research endeavors. You can seek advice, share your challenges, and collaborate on ideas with a network of like-minded professionals. Diverse Perspectives: Online communities bring together UX researchers from different backgrounds, industries, and regions. This diversity of perspectives can be a goldmine for innovative approaches and solutions. Continuous Learning: Stagnation is the enemy of progress. By participating in online groups, you open doors to continuous learning. Whether you're seeking answers or aiming to contribute your expertise, engaging in these communities can elevate your skills

Copyleft instead of Copyright I had learned early during my studies, that showing others most of the time delivers fresh perspective. That benefits all involved. The feedback giver gains insights into other methods and tools. The one who's been given feedback receives iterations and as I mentioned above fresh perspectives that might show fundamental errors within one's hypothesis... ??

Online communities are a less costly way that can have a greater reach then you would ever expect from a traditional offline community. They help connect in a more engaging way deploying audio and video content that's more inclusive and participatory for neuro-divergent users. For me that was being a part of the UXDP (UX Design in Pakistan). Pakistan's largest community as well my university alumni community for my universities local chapter and others. Use these communities promote your local culturally relevant voice on the international stage.

Recruiting users for research is a tedious and daunting task yet is a very rewarding one that can yield fabulous findings and insight. Use the power of offline communities to aid your UX research recruitment efforts. Scouting and vetting can be documented well this way as well.

The O'Reilley Publishing house has a great variety of books related to UX research, UX design and UX strategy methodology and great examples to work with as good offline reference material.

Regarding offline resources, in addition to UX Design material, I enjoy exploring related areas such as psychology, data, business, and management. This broadens my understanding, providing different contexts and perspectives. It enables me to approach new challenges or projects from a unique angle. Some examples are Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres, Radical Candor by Kim Scott, Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald.

?? Offline resources are the best way for you to get inspiration. For e.g by observing the people, environment, things around you. How people interact with products and services. By watching movie, while conducting field studies, while parking your car in a multi complex building, while waiting for your turn in hospital, while communicating with your friend after a long time in person, 100 such examples will teach us about UX. UX is such a beautiful field to be. Everyday you learn, practice and repeat. Simple philosophy for this is Listen, Learn, Lead. ????

I am a social volunteer and been to lot of outreach programs and public awareness campaigns. You will get to meet lot of people. Everyone is unique, They help us to understand the diversity and inclusion factor in our designs. Some may be punctual, some may be talkative, some may be observant. But all of us teach a lesson or two to find different perspectives of life ??

This is where your habit to write down appointments and scheduling comes handy. Utilitize your goto calendar and todo list apps. (TickTick and Focus To Go are my favorites). Participate in as many such offline commnuities as well as their online remeote counterparts to interact with mentors and experts. You may even find opportunities to participate in or facilitate a usability study or two. I have always felt that offline communities are my personal and the most accomodating.

While the online world offers its perks, there's no replacing the value of in-person discussions tackling real-world issues. Here are two approaches to get you started: 1. Begin by searching 'UX Design' and similar keywords on platforms like MeetUp, Eventbrite, or even Facebook Events. Register for local meetups or consider larger conferences on a national or international scale. Mark it on your calendar once a month to ensure you're in the loop. 2. Consider the offline realm as well. Entrepreneur Communities, Co-Working spaces, and Accelerators can serve as vibrant hubs of interaction. Often, they host Slack Channels connecting like-minded professionals. This is your chance to network, collaborate, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

Alec Levin from Learners has been instrumental in creating community when he can. He organized a research leadership summit and several in-person happy hours for leaders in the field to connect.

Start early if you are still going through your higher studies. Tap into the network and connect UX researchers that are about to enter the market with the leading research firms and organizations like UXPA, IxDA, UX Research Conference and others. It is also just as important in co-creation and collaborative research bridging the two together. Here on LinkedIn I have found the most amazing list of mentors that helped me utilitize the Pandemic break for learning and upskilling. Focus on strengthening and nurishing our online commmunity.

I frequently follow Jared Spool, an American UX Designer and Researcher who consistently provokes insightful discussions on our field. His insights and discussions on our field, particularly on LinkedIn, offer a valuable exchange of diverse perspectives.

Looking for recommendations from fellow UX Designers and Researchers? Here's the scoop: - Join into your local Co-Working spots, Entrepreneur Clubs, or Accelerator Hubs. It's like opening a treasure chest of opportunities! You'll find plenty of UX-related gigs, events, and Slack channels buzzing with people who love to talk shop and swap tips. - Get on LinkedIn! Share your creations, musings, or even those "Hmm, how does this work?" questions. Your network's got your back, and they might toss you some awesome advice. Plus, it's like signaling to the world, "Hey, I'm diving into this UX universe!"

That's not where you should end. UX research is a ongoing learning experience one that also demands that you continuously unskill yourself. More than often we forget that we need to be research-agnostic just as we aspire to be adaptable in use of tools at our disposal. That brings me to my next point. When you can explore more avenues, such systems thinkgin and behavioral sciences as well, in attempts to become multidisciplinary researchers.

Online Communities: Join platforms like UX Stack Exchange, Reddit's r/userexperience, and designer-focused communities like Designer Hangout or Behance. Conferences and Meetups: Attend UX conferences like UXPA International or local UX meetups. These events provide networking opportunities and access to experts. Books: Explore UX books by authors like Don Norman, Steve Krug, or Jakob Nielsen. They provide foundational knowledge. LinkedIn Groups: Join UX-related LinkedIn groups to connect with professionals and share resources. Podcasts: Listen to UX-focused podcasts such as "UX Podcast" or "UI Breakfast" for insights and discussions.