""User testing generates reports, not solutions." Somewhere along the way, that statement became the way many businesses perceive UX research. UX researchers have been among the victims of the AI-integrated future. From AI-based synthetic research offering "competition" (that's flawed) to widespread budget cuts, many UX researchers face challenges with justifying their value."
"User research has become too formalized. The problem with Formalized UX Research UX research has, in many organizations, transformed into a siloed, overly formal process. Whether it's a siloed department that keeps insights to itself or third-party solutions like UserTesting.com readily available, the perception of UX research has shifted dramatically. We've gone from UX research being "scrappy interviews with real users" to "formal, expensive studies required for legitimacy." This formalization creates a cascade of problems."
UX researchers face devaluation as AI-driven synthetic research and budget cuts create perceived competition and cost pressures. The core problem arises from the formalization of user research into siloed, expensive processes that focus on producing reports rather than actionable solutions. Organizations often isolate research in separate departments or substitute third-party platforms like UserTesting.com, shifting perceptions of legitimacy toward formal studies. The shift from scrappy interviews with real users to structured, costly studies reduces agility, hides insights, and makes justification of research value harder. This formalization generates a cascade of operational and strategic challenges for product teams.
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