Archives
Vol. 21 No. 3 (2026)
Our May 2026 essay is “The Explosion of AI-Powered Research Tools Is Reshaping UX Practice,” by Jeff Sokolov. In the essay, Dr. Sokolov discusses how AI tools shift UX researchers from being hands-on investigators to workflow orchestrators, create a tension between increased speed and scale and risk fragmented insights across disconnected tools, and play a growing role in surfacing patterns and themes early in synthesis.
This issue also includes two research papers.
The first paper is “Developing User-Centered Mindsets: A Structured Methodology,” by Martin Wilson, Sharon McDonald, and Alastair Irons. The authors present a structured six-step methodology for creating and validating mindsets from qualitative data, developed in the context of cybersecurity for micro and small businesses.
The second paper is “Deceptive Patterns: UX and Web Designers’ Perspectives,” by Johanna Silvennoinen, Laura Havinen, Rebekah Rousi, Markus Ahola, and Jari Varsaluoma. They conducted mixed methods research on how variation in aesthetics and beauty affects digital experiences, finding strong positive effects. They report the results of a survey of 34 design professionals on conceptualizations of, familiarity with, and reasons to implement—or not to implement—deceptive design patterns.
Vol. 21 No. 2 (2026)
Our February 2026 essay is “The UX Profession: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” by Rebecca Baker. In the essay, Dr. Baker discusses current issues in the UX profession, how we got here, and what may lie ahead.
This issue also includes two research papers.
The first paper is “A Scale to Assess Consumer Perceptions of Technology Product Inclusivity: Development and Validation,” by Carmen Van Ommen, Barbara S. Chaparro, Joseph R. Keebler, Sanjay Batra, and Mei Lu. The authors describe the development and validation of a new standardized UX questionnaire that assesses the extent to which users perceive a product to be inclusive (for example, designed for use by older adults or people with disabilities).
The second paper is “The Future of Digital Society: Beauty, Meaning, and Motivation Among Digital Natives,” by André Delwyn Gopal. He conducted mixed methods research on how variation in aesthetics and beauty affects digital experiences, finding strong positive effects.
Vol. 21 No. 1 (2025)
Our November 2025 essay is “Beyond P-Values: Bayesian Approaches for User Experience Research,” by Mohsen Rafiei and Iman Tahamtan. In the essay, they present an introduction to applications of Bayesian analysis in UX research. This issue also includes two research papers.
The first paper is “Improving Wearable Haptics Through Measuring Vibrotactile Sensitivity,” by Batuhan Erkat, Glenn Fernandes, Timo Kunkel, Andrea Fanelli, Jake Zuena, and Jaclyn Pytlarz. The authors describe two experiments investigating the perceptual limits of vibrotactile sensation along the forearm with potential implications for the design of vibrotactile UIs.
The second paper is “A Study of Front-End Developers’ Views of UX Professionals : Usability Tests Are Like Unicorns,” by Rolf Molich and Jurek Kirakowski. Multiple teams of UX professionals interviewed front-end developers to explore the derivation of front-end developer personas based on attitudes towards UX, UX research, and the resulting implications for improved cooperation between UX professionals and front-end developers.
Vol. 20 No. 4 (2025)
Our August 2025 essay is “How You Can Help the Next Generation of UX’ers,” by John C. Dozier and Catherine D. Gaddy. In the essay, the authors discuss how, during the current downtrend in UX jobs, experienced UX researchers and practitioners can provide perspectives and advice to help newcomers to the field.
This issue also includes two research papers.
The first paper is “Leveraging AI Toward the Development of Vector Personas for UX Research,” by Claire Lauer, Danielle Storey, and Romit Soley. The authors introduce the concept of vector personas, which combines AI and traditional qualitative methods to develop personas with enhanced efficiency while retaining the depth of understanding provided by user-driven research.
The second paper is “Enhancing a Car Change Through Emotion: A Mixed Methods Approach,” by Mareike Grund, Ingo Totzke, and Arnd Engeln. Of all the designed artifacts in modern society, some people develop strong emotional connections to their cars. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, the authors describe research conducted to design digital interventions that impact the emotional consequences of changing cars.
Vol. 20 No. 3 (2025)
Our May 2025 essay is “See What Users See: Enhancing User-Centered Product Innovation with Eye Tracking,” by Soussan Djamasbi. In the essay, Dr. Djamasbi discusses the value of leveraging eye movements in UX research for product development.
This issue also includes two research papers. The first article is “How a Rounded Aesthetic Translates Beauty to Function and Prosociality: The Persuasive Effects of Warmth,” by Shuer Zhuo and Jeeyun Oh. The authors describe research on the connections between warm user interface aesthetics, UX ratings, and respondents’ intention to donate to a local charity.
The second article is “What 96 Designers Taught Us About Harm: The Behaviors Around Considering Harm in Digital Products,” by Lexi Namer and Sharon Joines. They conducted a survey of 96 US-based UX- and product-designers focused on attitudes, behaviors, challenges, and needs that the designers encounter when considering harm in their daily work.
Vol. 20 No. 2 (2025)
Our February 2025 essay is “Help or Hubris: Certifications in UX and Human-Centered Design,” by Clemens Lutsch. Prof. Lutsch addresses the current state of certification in UX and HCD, including who offers certificates, who needs certifications, and how certification should enrich our professional field.
This issue also includes two research papers: one on the mystery calling research method, and another on the development and use of a streamlined version of a standardized questionnaire for the assessment of the UX of mobile apps.
The first article is “Who’s There? Mystery Calling for UX Research,” by Michael J. Madson, Yoshita Gade, and Unnati Srivastava. The authors describe the mystery calling method, discuss its pros and cons (including probable effects of AI on the method), and recommend best practices.
The second article is “Streamlining the SUPR-Qm: The SUPR-Qm V2,” by James R. Lewis and Jeff Sauro. Following up on the publication of the first version of the SUPR-Qm in 2017, the authors replicated the original model, identified redundant items to arrive at a 5-item version, demonstrated the stability of the original and streamlined versions, and developed interpretive norms (including curved grading scales).