UX designers should not be UX researchers.

Combining these roles can do two detrimental things:

1. Introduce bias, and therefore:
2. Result in opinion-driven design

It’s human nature to get attached to our work. Even industry vets struggle to evaluate their designs through a completely objective lens.

That’s why dedicated UX researchers are essential. 

They have no personal stake in the design. Their only mission? Solve for users.

To keep bias at bay, our team uses a “UX Firewall” between these roles.

How it works:

1. The UX researcher identifies issues through comprehensive research, and the UX strategist proposes solutions. 

2. The UX designer executes the solutions proposed by the strategist, focusing on fixing the problem identified by the researcher.

3. Researcher validates that the problem was resolved through user testing.

Can there be some overlap in skills and knowledge between these roles? Sure.

When it comes to the design process, a UX Firewall is crucial.

It keeps user needs in and biases out.

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Take this meme for example – unbiased research goes a long way.