Design x Megan Lee-Thorp
Senior UX Researcher at UEGroup
Illustration by Bonnie Kate Wolf
Interview conducted by Michelle Berois on May 27, 2020
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Megan Lee-Thorp. I am a Senior UX Researcher at UEGroup. I started as an intern in 2015, and I’ve been a full time researcher for about four years. Almost everyone started off as an intern, whether we were in school or not. Some people start as interns even fresh out of their PhD program. That’s the way we like to start engagements.
I was studying at UC Santa Cruz before that, for a Bachelor’s of Science in Cognitive Science. It was just a natural fit for me to go from that into UEGroup, and I’ve been there ever since.
What was the journey like, making the transition from cognitive science into UX research?
It was really natural. I loved psychology when I was in high school and have always been interested in how people think and feel. I’ve always been pretty perceptive in terms of how people feel and how to respond to that. When I got to UC Santa Cruz, my dad was pushing me to go into engineering. It was something I liked but definitely didn’t feel passionate about. Cognitive science was a cool marriage of science and psychology. I had to take a little bit of coding and neuroscience.
I didn’t really know what UX was, but when I read what skills they were looking for, I knew I had them, and it sounded really interesting. Especially at this company, with the format being a consultancy, that was also really well-suited to my personality. I gravitate towards fast-paced environments, and that’s what you have to do at UEGroup. You have to be able to become an expert or quasi-expert in something really fast, dump it, and move on to the next thing, which I really like.
As soon as I started, I was being trained by my mentor, Sarah Garcia, the Director of Research. I think the role has changed a little bit from when I started. It’s cool to see the next few generations of researchers come in and how their experience is different from what mine was.
How do you think the field has changed over time since you’ve been there?
I think the landscape of UX has changed a lot. Back in the day, it was really big studies, really iterative, and very usability-study-centric. Now it’s more lean. It’s more qualitative. It tends to be, “Let’s just do ten interviews and see what our top takeaways are, and then change something and test again, right away.” The company has grown a ton since I started. I used to work on one project for a long while, and now it’s a much faster pace, with many more industries and a lot of different players in the game.
Do you think more companies are really starting to realize the value of UX research?
Yes, definitely. Partly because they understand it better now. In my early days, people would say they wanted a usability study, and when I’d deliver them the test plan, they would be confused or thrown off by how different it was from market research plans or something else that was more familiar to them. Now, people usually come in with a stronger understanding of what to expect. I would say that it’s definitely more valued now and can be used in more ways than it was before.
What trending topics in your industry are most interesting to you right now?
Because of COVID, we’re talking about how to do research in this new environment, how to bring it back to the basics and do remote testing really well. What can you do without being able to see people’s faces? I just spent the last week running sessions, and there was a pretty staggering difference in how the remote sessions are going now, versus when I did them six months ago. Participants are responding better to it, and there are way fewer tech problems.
It kind of forced us to get really creative, which is awesome. That was one of our topics from our Cultivate webinar series: “How Constraints Can Inspire Creativity.” It’s really cool to figure out how we can do hardware testing when we can’t bring anyone into a lab.
“It’s really cool to figure out how we can do hardware testing when we can’t bring anyone into a lab.”
Sometimes there are confidential prototypes. How do we balance all of these things? It’s about coming up with resourceful ways without compromising the brand or product.
What prompted you and UEGroup to create the Cultivate webinar series?
It came out of wanting to help and cultivate a community where we could all share what we were dealing with right when COVID was happening. We wanted people to be able to share their problems, and then have the community share what worked for them. I think we also saw it as a way to tell people how we’ve been creative in the past, before any of this COVID stuff. We really wanted to inspire people we know in the industry, to encourage them that doing something is better than nothing, that you can figure a way out to get questions answered. It might not be the way that you learned in school, or the way you did it before, but it doesn’t make it any less important to do.
UX research is definitely an area where you really have to be able to get creative and resourceful to accomplish what you’re looking to do.
Yes, because there can be a lot of nuances to what you’re trying to do, whether it’s who your users are and they’re really hard to find, or they’re not the type of person who can join a video session, or, like I was saying before, the confidentiality of the product is something you don’t want to compromise. Every single project that UEGroup does is different. There have never been two identical-looking projects, even for the same client.
As a UX Researcher for UEGroup, how would you describe your research process?
It’s different every time, but in broad strokes. The first step is to make sure the project is kicked off on a good foot. It’s important for the client to understand what types of studies will be done and what the desired outcomes will be. It helps ensure everyone is on the same page.
From there is where it can really vary. Sometimes clients give us test plans that their in-house UX team has put together. Sometimes it’s the complete opposite where they need to be walked through the steps and methods we will use. We then formulate a test plan and begin the recruiting process. We are unique in that way because we recruit in-house and use our own proprietary tools for testing.
Once the recruiting is complete, we begin to test. Currently we are doing mostly remote testing. We are hoping to resume in-person testing this summer. Sometimes that requires traveling to different states or countries to do the actual testing with our moderators, but we have our own research lab in San Jose that now has a COVID-friendly layout, where the moderator and the participant can be in separate rooms.
With every client and project being so different, how do you define success as you go through these projects?
On a very basic level, we have to ask ourselves if we answered the questions the client brought to us about their product or concept. Were we able to answer that in a valid and reliable way? Does the business answer make sense? Can we back it up? And then for us, probably the biggest piece is being able to explain why that’s the answer.
We measure our success by being able to provide what works well, what doesn’t, and the reasons behind it. That really comes through in our moderating styles. We always say the best moderators don’t stick to the script, just like how we’re talking now, letting the conversation go where it goes. Let’s pursue that and dig deeper and deeper until the reason why becomes clear.
What are some of the struggles or challenges that you face on a day-to-day basis?
It depends on what kind of problems we’re talking about. Recruiting is always a challenge. It’s almost never simple or straightforward. Most of the time we are looking for target demographics and how to balance all those quotas. Other difficulties include setting up the processes for the project, which is really crucial. If that step has to be skipped because of time or some other reason, that presents its challenges down the road.
Can you elaborate on what helps you set up that research successfully?
We definitely want to take a discovery period to look into who our client is and learn what space they’re in and what challenges they might be facing. Then, in a kickoff meeting, we really take the time to frame their problem and show them how we expect to solve it.
Showing examples is really valuable. It helps the client see the kind of data that they can get back and also helps them frame their questions in a more specific way. This ensures we’re all on the same page and that we can give them the data they are looking for.
For newer UX Researchers, or those wanting to get into UX research, what do you think is the best path for them to follow?
I can only speak on my experience being in a consultancy environment. Diving in and getting to try as many things as you can is my best piece of advice.
Finding a mentor was also key for me. Being able to learn from someone that has more experience than you helps you grow and learn how to navigate the field.
My second piece of advice would be to say yes when someone asks you for help. Be open to any opportunities that may come up. Don’t shy away from the challenges, even if you’re unsure about it.
How did you find your mentor, and how has she impacted you and your career?
Sarah Garcia is my mentor, and she has impacted me in a lot of ways. Sarah pioneered and led the research department at our company. When I first joined, it was her and I and one other researcher, so we worked closely together and collaborated on all of our projects. I remember working really hard to emulate her moderating style for the first couple of years.
She came from a marketing background so it was interesting to see how those two worlds came together but were still distinct. Now we’re usually leading separate projects, so it’s a real treat when we get to work together. She also helped teach me about the different nuances within a company, such as when to ask for clarification, or when and how to help the client understand why something should be done a certain way. That is probably the hardest thing for newer researchers to learn. It’s a key skill, to be able to learn how to work well with people in different kinds of roles.
For one-person research teams, what would be the best advice to give them in advocating for UX research and demonstrating the value of it?
That’s a huge challenge. I recently did a survey with UX researchers, and one of the biggest challenges people said that they face was, in fact, trying to prove the value of research. That really made me appreciate my position because I don’t have to fight those battles. People fight them for us and then bring us their projects. However, that does add a ton of pressure for our team to then deliver on what this client fought for. I definitely counted my lucky stars when I was reading those results. I didn’t realize that was such a challenge for a lot of us.
When we get designers or stakeholders to watch UX research, their reactions are delightful. It’s really fun to watch people watch user research for the first time. Getting people to participate in that process is definitely a good first step. From there it’s important to be able to show the recommendations that came out of it, as well as the actionable and tangible insights that would improve the experience of their product or service. Those would be my two biggest suggestions.
What do you think are some of the qualities or traits essential to being successful as a UX researcher?
I would say there are soft and hard skills that are equally important. Learning the hard skills, like the basics of research and how to form a test plan and write a report, are really key. And how to design a good test plan without introducing bias. Then there’s the soft skills of being able to bring a participant into your lab and make them feel comfortable. The soft skills of making a client feel confident in you and that you can carry yourself. Trying to keep it cool, calm, and collected is another big tip.
In terms of skills, definitely learn your basics. Learn how research needs to be done in order to be considered valid and reliable. But don’t forget the human element of it. Always remember to have empathy for the people who are designing and making the products that you’re going to be testing.
“Learn how research needs to be done in order to be considered valid and reliable. But don’t forget the human element of it.”
Have empathy for the participant, who may be in a potentially uncomfortable situation for them. It’s also important to make sure they know that this isn’t an evaluation of them but of the product. Be genuine when you say that and take the time to make sure they understand you, as opposed to robotically going through your test plan.
What are some resources you would recommend to someone who is interested in pursuing UX research as a career?
There are so many resources out there. For me, it was my undergraduate program that taught me the fundamentals. If you’re still in school, see if you can work in a lab, or connect with a graduate student who's running a study to see if you can learn about it. Finding a mentor is also important. See if you can find someone who’s willing to take you under their wing and show you how they do it. See if you can get some different perspectives on that.
I think going back to experience is the valuable piece that I’ve been able to get. See if you can get in, get your hands dirty, and try things out.
“See if you can get in, get your hands dirty, and try things out.”
Reading books and articles is great for keeping up with trends, but for trying to learn how to do research, my number one recommendation is to just get your hands dirty and try it out.
Rapid Fire Questions:
I see some guitars behind you. Do you play?
My husband plays. This one is technically mine, but I need to work on it. But we do love music. This poster behind me is the Rolling Stones on stage. On this wall is a Led Zeppelin record that’s signed by all four members. Over here I’ve got another Led Zeppelin poster.
What are some of your favorite things to do in your free time?
I love cooking. I watch pretty much every cooking show there is on TV.
Favorite book or podcast?
I love Dax Shepherd’s Armchair Expert podcast. He interviews celebrities and gets really cerebral with it. They get to have some really deep conversations and it’s pretty interesting.
What or who inspires you?
I really want to do my best for my teammates, so I would say that they inspire me. Also, the owners of my company, Tony and Kathy Fernandes, have definitely inspired me too. They are married, own UEGroup, work together, and completely own it and kill it. The way that our company is structured, we all just really take care of each other, support each other, and want the best for each other. I would say that I’m really motivated just to make them proud.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be? And why?
I would probably choose somewhere in Italy because the food is the best. It’s so good. I’ve never been to the Amalfi Coast, but I’ve been to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany. That’s my next place to go once we’re allowed to travel again. I’d be so happy if I could just have a little coastal cottage.
