| name | ux-researcher-designer |
| description | UX research and design toolkit for Senior UX Designer/Researcher including data-driven persona generation, journey mapping, usability testing frameworks, and research synthesis. Use when conducting user research, creating personas, mapping user journeys, planning usability tests, or validating designs. |
UX Researcher & Designer
Generate user personas from research data, create journey maps, plan usability tests, and synthesize research findings into actionable design recommendations.
Table of Contents
Trigger Terms
Use this skill when you need to:
- "create user persona"
- "generate persona from data"
- "build customer journey map"
- "map user journey"
- "plan usability test"
- "design usability study"
- "analyze user research"
- "synthesize interview findings"
- "identify user pain points"
- "define user archetypes"
- "calculate research sample size"
- "create empathy map"
- "identify user needs"
Workflows
Workflow 1: Generate User Persona
Situation: You have user data (analytics, surveys, interviews) and need to create a research-backed persona.
Steps:
-
Prepare user data
Required format (JSON):
[
{
"user_id": "user_1",
"age": 32,
"usage_frequency": "daily",
"features_used": ["dashboard", "reports", "export"],
"primary_device": "desktop",
"usage_context": "work",
"tech_proficiency": 7,
"pain_points": ["slow loading", "confusing UI"]
}
]
-
Run persona generator
python scripts/persona_generator.py
python scripts/persona_generator.py json
-
Review generated components
Workflow 2: Create Journey Map
Situation: You need to visualize the end-to-end user experience for a specific goal.
Steps:
-
Define scope
| Element | Description |
|---|
| Persona | Which user type |
| Goal | What they're trying to achieve |
| Start | Trigger that begins journey |
| End | Success criteria |
| Timeframe | Hours/days/weeks |
-
Gather journey data
Sources:
- User interviews (ask "walk me through...")
- Session recordings
- Analytics (funnel, drop-offs)
- Support tickets
-
Map the stages
Typical B2B SaaS stages:
Awareness → Evaluation → Onboarding → Adoption → Advocacy
-
Fill in layers for each stage
Stage: [Name]
├── Actions: What does user do?
├── Touchpoints: Where do they interact?
├── Emotions: How do they feel? (1-5)
├── Pain Points: What frustrates them?
└── Opportunities: Where can we improve?
-
Identify opportunities
Priority Score = Frequency × Severity × Solvability
-
Reference: See references/journey-mapping-guide.md for templates
Workflow 3: Plan Usability Test
Situation: You need to validate a design with real users.
Steps:
-
Define research questions
Transform vague goals into testable questions:
| Vague | Testable |
|---|
| "Is it easy to use?" | "Can users complete checkout in <3 min?" |
| "Do users like it?" | "Will users choose Design A or B?" |
| "Does it make sense?" | "Can users find settings without hints?" |
-
Select method
| Method | Participants | Duration | Best For |
|---|
| Moderated remote | 5-8 | 45-60 min | Deep insights |
| Unmoderated remote | 10-20 | 15-20 min | Quick validation |
| Guerrilla | 3-5 | 5-10 min | Rapid feedback |
-
Design tasks
Good task format:
SCENARIO: "Imagine you're planning a trip to Paris..."
GOAL: "Book a hotel for 3 nights in your budget."
SUCCESS: "You see the confirmation page."
Task progression: Warm-up → Core → Secondary → Edge case → Free exploration
-
Define success metrics
| Metric | Target |
|---|
| Completion rate | >80% |
| Time on task | <2× expected |
| Error rate | <15% |
| Satisfaction | >4/5 |
-
Prepare moderator guide
- Think-aloud instructions
- Non-leading prompts
- Post-task questions
-
Reference: See references/usability-testing-frameworks.md for full guide
Workflow 4: Synthesize Research
Situation: You have raw research data (interviews, surveys, observations) and need actionable insights.
Steps:
-
Code the data
Tag each data point:
[GOAL] - What they want to achieve[PAIN] - What frustrates them[BEHAVIOR] - What they actually do[CONTEXT] - When/where they use product[QUOTE] - Direct user words
-
Cluster similar patterns
User A: Uses daily, advanced features, shortcuts
User B: Uses daily, complex workflows, automation
User C: Uses weekly, basic needs, occasional
Cluster 1: A, B (Power Users)
Cluster 2: C (Casual User)
-
Calculate segment sizes
| Cluster | Users | % | Viability |
|---|
| Power Users | 18 | 36% | Primary persona |
| Business Users | 15 | 30% | Primary persona |
| Casual Users | 12 | 24% | Secondary persona |
-
Extract key findings
For each theme:
- Finding statement
- Supporting evidence (quotes, data)
- Frequency (X/Y participants)
- Business impact
- Recommendation
-
Prioritize opportunities
| Factor | Score 1-5 |
|---|
| Frequency | How often does this occur? |
| Severity | How much does it hurt? |
| Breadth | How many users affected? |
| Solvability | Can we fix this? |
-
Reference: See references/persona-methodology.md for analysis framework
Tool Reference
persona_generator.py
Generates data-driven personas from user research data.
| Argument | Values | Default | Description |
|---|
| format | (none), json | (none) | Output format |
Sample Output:
============================================================
PERSONA: Alex the Power User
============================================================
📝 A daily user who primarily uses the product for work purposes
Archetype: Power User
Quote: "I need tools that can keep up with my workflow"
👤 Demographics:
• Age Range: 25-34
• Location Type: Urban
• Tech Proficiency: Advanced
🎯 Goals & Needs:
• Complete tasks efficiently
• Automate workflows
• Access advanced features
😤 Frustrations:
• Slow loading times (14/20 users)
• No keyboard shortcuts
• Limited API access
💡 Design Implications:
→ Optimize for speed and efficiency
→ Provide keyboard shortcuts and power features
→ Expose API and automation capabilities
📈 Data: Based on 45 users
Confidence: High
Archetypes Generated:
| Archetype | Signals | Design Focus |
|---|
| power_user | Daily use, 10+ features | Efficiency, customization |
| casual_user | Weekly use, 3-5 features | Simplicity, guidance |
| business_user | Work context, team use | Collaboration, reporting |
| mobile_first | Mobile primary | Touch, offline, speed |
Output Components:
| Component | Description |
|---|
| demographics | Age range, location, occupation, tech level |
| psychographics | Motivations, values, attitudes, lifestyle |
| behaviors | Usage patterns, feature preferences |
| needs_and_goals | Primary, secondary, functional, emotional |
| frustrations | Pain points with evidence |
| scenarios | Contextual usage stories |
| design_implications | Actionable recommendations |
| data_points | Sample size, confidence level |
Quick Reference Tables
Research Method Selection
| Question Type | Best Method | Sample Size |
|---|
| "What do users do?" | Analytics, observation | 100+ events |
| "Why do they do it?" | Interviews | 8-15 users |
| "How well can they do it?" | Usability test | 5-8 users |
| "What do they prefer?" | Survey, A/B test | 50+ users |
| "What do they feel?" | Diary study, interviews | 10-15 users |
Persona Confidence Levels
| Sample Size | Confidence | Use Case |
|---|
| 5-10 users | Low | Exploratory |
| 11-30 users | Medium | Directional |
| 31+ users | High | Production |
Usability Issue Severity
| Severity | Definition | Action |
|---|
| 4 - Critical | Prevents task completion | Fix immediately |
| 3 - Major | Significant difficulty | Fix before release |
| 2 - Minor | Causes hesitation | Fix when possible |
| 1 - Cosmetic | Noticed but not problematic | Low priority |
Interview Question Types
| Type | Example | Use For |
|---|
| Context | "Walk me through your typical day" | Understanding environment |
| Behavior | "Show me how you do X" | Observing actual actions |
| Goals | "What are you trying to achieve?" | Uncovering motivations |
| Pain | "What's the hardest part?" | Identifying frustrations |
| Reflection | "What would you change?" | Generating ideas |
Knowledge Base
Detailed reference guides in references/:
| File | Content |
|---|
persona-methodology.md | Validity criteria, data collection, analysis framework |
journey-mapping-guide.md | Mapping process, templates, opportunity identification |
example-personas.md | 3 complete persona examples with data |
usability-testing-frameworks.md | Test planning, task design, analysis |
Validation Checklist
Persona Quality
Journey Map Quality
Usability Test Quality
Research Synthesis Quality
Related Skills
- UI Design System (
product-team/ui-design-system/) — Research findings inform design system decisions
- Product Manager Toolkit (
product-team/product-manager-toolkit/) — Customer interview analysis complements persona research
