From Nonprofits to Big Banks: Uche's Journey as a Black UX Researcher

Brandon: So can you tell me a bit about your background? How did you first get into UX research?

Uche: Yeah, I would say my background is, I don't know if it's traditional. Nowadays, it seems like a lot of people just go the route of getting a certification, but mine involved marketing research with my major in college. I initially started as a marketing major, and then, as part of my college curriculum, they exposed us to a variety of classes. That's when I got introduced to research, and I found that I naturally grasped the methodology. I felt really comfortable with it.

I remember in one class, we were tasked with conducting a consultation with a small business in Grand Rapids, where I was attending school. We got to know that business, asked their customers questions, and were actually able to enlighten the small business owner. I loved being able to use that curiosity to help other people with their businesses and show them things they might not see at times. After that experience, I decided to focus on research. It wasn't always called user experience research when I started. It was more like people were using tools like user zoom, and it was a way to test out whatever this is.

When it officially got the name UX research, it was just a different label for the job I had already been doing. My first role was in communications, which eventually evolved into more of a research-oriented role. The organization was transitioning from one intranet platform to another, affecting around 20,000 employees. The transition was challenging initially, and they needed researchers to assist. That was my first official job doing research outside of college. After that, I moved to a nonprofit and became a lead researcher. 

Brandon: Was this a UX research role?

Uche: Yeah, so, this was a UX research role focused on an interesting aspect. The team was undergoing a digital transformation, and they hadn't updated their app, website, or anything for years. It was a constant struggle with backend issues and UI problems. Looking back, I didn't appreciate it then, but it was a researcher's dream—a messed-up experience where there were always challenges to tackle.

Now, working at a bank, it's a different scenario with a lot more resources, designers from around the world, and a wealth of knowledge. Research isn't as straightforward; there's a lot of digging involved to understand what we already know, given the abundance of researchers. Currently, I'm on a project that I'll probably be working on for a few months. At the project's beginning, there was uncertainty about who was leading it and where it would go. However, we had a wealth of existing research. So, I started by delving into this research to figure out what we already know because secondary research is crucial.

Brandon: How did you grow as a researcher in those early settings? Especially since it wasn’t a very research mature environment, how did you gain skills as a UX researcher?

Uche: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me is that I was always told that I was very proactive or took initiative in things. I believe that's a significant aspect of research because there are so many moving parts to it. Being a person who is a go-getter or can naturally handle stressful situations is genuinely helpful, more of a soft skill.

When I started my first role, I learned a lot from other people after college. However, in my next role at the nonprofit, I had an excellent manager who provided me with a wealth of resources. He had been a design researcher for around 30 years, bringing a lot of knowledge to the table. As a VP of research innovation, he not only offered insights into executive presence but also shared valuable skills in research influence.

I remember, on my second day, he gave me a stack of books to read about design, including titles like 'Back of a Napkin' and others related to innovation and research. One thing I do for continuous learning is reading articles on Medium. I'm not much of a bookworm all the time, especially when it comes to methodological books. I do have books, and when starting a project or wanting to try a new method, I might open one, like the one called '100 Methods' or something similar. However, most of the time, I'm reading various articles – whether it's about running a workshop or exploring a new method that people are talking about. That's how I've been learning recently. I find it important, and I appreciate the fact that it's something you continue to do. You realize that you don't have to be a bookworm reading two hours a day to stay abreast; there are plenty of great resources out there.

Brandon: I want to talk again about your nonprofit work because I know that that is a difficult setting in many cases and it sounded like what you were doing is what people often describe as ‘scrappy research’ where you're just pulling things together. Yet, you mentioned that it's in many ways the best time or best place for a researcher. So what are some things you learned from that period? 

Uche: Yeah, I mean, it was a great time because I wasn't relying so much on technology; it was more analog. I remember doing thematic analysis, cutting findings out on paper, and putting them on a board. It was interesting because one day, as I was putting everything up on the board, people kept walking by, watching what I was doing. It was this interesting exposure for me as a researcher. At times, I realized I didn't have to do much; I was literally just putting stickers on the board, and people found it interesting. This kind of exposure as a researcher is crucial. Putting yourself in rooms, asking questions – it's essential. Being scrappy is great for innovation, but having resources is also important. You want to focus on the research itself.

It was a small design team with just one UX researcher, working on an app used by a million people a day. Initially, I used to get frustrated. However, I read a book by Adam Grant about workplace friction, and it made me reflect. Conflict resolution became a significant aspect, and it was something my team and I worked on. It's crucial.

Brandon: Sounds like conflict resolution was one of the most important parts of being a researcher there. How have you made that transition from the nonprofit space to a bank? Does  it feel like you have unlimited resources?

Uche: Yeah, I mean, that's true. It's not that it feels like unlimited resources, but there are definitely more resources to do good research. And I'm not saying that the research I did at the non-profit wasn't good. I used to get very tired after research projects at the non-profit because I did everything, from recruitment to creating banners for the website and Facebook. There was a bunch of stuff that took me away from actually sitting down with the person and focusing on the questions for the audience. That was a big thing. The pace was different; it was more fast-paced. At the non-profit, I was pushing out a research project probably once every two or three months, and here, it's more like once a month.

Initially, it was a lot to handle, but now that I've gotten into a rhythm, I realize it actually wears me out when I don't have a project. I mean, I'm okay with it during the holidays and such, but it's a lot more fast-paced. That was a challenging part of my transition, but it was something I wanted. I wanted to be pushed a bit more.

There's also a lot more exposure. At times, it feels like the stakes are higher, even though it's in banking, not like I'm a doctor or anything. It's not one of those big bank types, but you can definitely tell that releases are tied to revenue, pretty much.

Brandon: Do you feel as though being a black researcher has affected your career path?

Uche: Yeah, I mean, it definitely was a mixture of things when I first entered this career. Dealing with this job meant being around so many white people all the time. It took me a while to be confident in who I am and what I bring to the table, especially as a researcher. In a research role, there are numerous ways to approach projects. If you don't have a strong point of view and are easily swayed, you won't be in a good position. There are various perspectives, and while you have to listen to others, you also have to be confident in your own viewpoint.

Brandon: I have to imagine that when you talk about speaking up for yourself and being confident that you can use some of those conflict resolution skills we were talking about earlier.  What advice might you give people who want to learn how to get better at conflict resolution?

Uche: Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing that people have to learn to do is just listen and wait. I believe that would be really helpful, and it gives you so much power. You don't want to feel like as soon as someone asks you a question, you have to answer immediately. I think that gets people caught up when they're in conflict with others because they're not actually thinking; they're just reacting to what's being said.

Brandon: You’ve worked in several different types of spaces including nonprofits and a large bank. With this perspective, how do you think the industry as a whole might better support Black researchers?

Uche: I think the biggest thing, not even so much from research specifically but sensitivity training, is really important. I don't mean compliance training buried within a bunch of other trainings. I remember at an earlier  organization I worked at,  our work culture was great, and we had a fantastic human resources team. At the headquarters, we used to have, Personal Bias Training, we would have psychologists come and have all our leadership—marketing, and all—meet up for these two-day sessions. I remember so many great conversations came out of that, discussing how women, black women, men, black men, and gay black men are treated. It covered the whole spectrum. However some in executive positions  were uncomfortable  because they thought they’d be bashed. 

Brandon: I’ve definitely been in situations like that where senior leadership is hesitant to take part in diversity efforts. Some can have a real adversarial opinion towards them because they think it’ll just make them feel bad. Do you have any advice for people who may be applying for jobs now? Especially when they’re looking for inclusive environments?

Uche: Be very clear about what you mean when you're talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Listen to people's responses when they're talking. Just because someone says it in a nice way doesn't mean it's actually good. If you ask about it and someone says, 'Well, we don't actually have that now, but that would be something great to start once you get here,' it's like, what? Why, on top of my job, do you want me to be a diversity manager? Just that type of thought process, the foolishness in that type of answer, and being able to hear those types of things and taking notes when you're going through an interview is so important. Also, because, you know, you've got to interview them. What types of perks do they have? Do they have any cool travel opportunities? What does health insurance look like? Do they have any all-team meetings or anything like that for researchers to network? Do they pay for not just your education but for you to go to things like AfroTech or speak at places? And not only do they pay, do they make it easy for you to actually get it? Because I've worked at jobs where it's like, 'Oh, you just sign a paper, and your budget is approved.' The other advice I would give is also think about your career growth. If you know you don’t like to  interview, don't interview at a company where you have to interview every time you want a promotion at the job. Make sure the perks are good too. I remember I was so spoiled in my first job. We had a nap center and a wellness center. It had a nap station, and you could get a massage there, and the nurse used to come in there. It's like, is the office nice? Is it a remote position? 

Brandon: As researchers sometimes we do really have to steer the ship or at least help guide it. Keeping track of the roadmap is very important, and I’m glad you mentioned the perks. For my master’s thesis, I did research on different individual’s willingness to negotiate different things. The results showed that everyone was familiar with salary negotiation, but white men were most likely to negotiate for a parking spot at the office! Everyone else didn’t even know that was an option. That really speaks to the differences in knowledge when it comes to little perks.

Uche: Yeah, I learned that from this black software engineer when I was coming up. He was like, you know, ‘negotiate extra time’. You don't have to take 14 days; you can ask for 20 days if you just ask for it. Thats just an example - please negotiate other things as well. 

Brandon: Right, very true. Do you have anything else that you would like to add, especially for people who may be newer in the industry, trying to come in? 

Uche: Nope.

Brandon: Thank you so much for being a part of the interview!