๐Ÿ’ฅ On High Impact Research + ๐Ÿค– How AI Is Changing Research Jobs

This week: Beyond Numbers: How to Properly Evaluate Qualitative UX Research, Finding Harmony Between Design, Research, and the Bottom Line, and How AI Is Changing User Research Jobs. Check out our Research Lunch Club member interview from ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ, our podcast pick on High Impact Research from ETSY, plus the latest job opportunities in research. And finally - join Research Lunch Club, now live in 33+ cities, before we send out our SECOND round of matches this month!

๐ŸŽค Announcements

How strong is your research network? Fancy meeting new researchers? Maybe even building a few bridges over lunch?

๐Ÿš€ Research Lunch Club is matching researchers across 30+ cities worldwide this May - connecting members in trios from fields like AI ethics, cognitive science, ethnography, and UX research. Whether youโ€™re in New York or Sao Paulo or Sydney, thereโ€™s a seat at the table.

Be part of our second round of matches this month - itโ€™s like networking, but tailored, fun and over lunch!

๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Follow us on Instagram @researchlunchclub to catch real-life lunch stories and researcher meetups from around the world.

๐Ÿ”ฌ Research Lunch Club Member Interview

This weekโ€™s interview is from Research Lunch Club - where researchers meet in person for monthly lunches in their city.

๐Ÿ”ฌ Our Meet Our Members series shares the journeys of researchers across disciplines - so you can get to know who you might be sitting down with over lunch!

Research Lunch Club x Apoorva ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

Driven by a joyful vision for accessible, equitable, and fun learning, Apoorva designs and studies learning environments at Sirius Education Solutions and winded.vertigo. With a PhD in Psychology and an MS in Statistics/Data Science from Northwestern, she brings deep curiosity to her work and life โ€“ whether exploring Chicago's vibrant food scene (fav spots: Lula Cafe, Southport Grocery!), diving into Python, or creating linocut art. ๐Ÿ‘‰ Click to learn more!

Research Lunch Club Meet our Members #3

๐Ÿ“ฐ Article Picks

๐Ÿ”— Beyond Numbers: How to Properly Evaluate Qualitative UX Research | In Beyond Numbers, Dr. Maria Panagiotidi explains why qualitative UX research should not be judged by the same standards as quantitative studies. Citing Crabtreeโ€™s 2025 framework, she emphasizes the interpretivist nature of qualitative work, which seeks depth and meaning rather than statistical generalization. The article proposes five evaluation criteria: methodological transparency, evidence-based insights, conceptual understanding, design applicability, and business relevance.

๐Ÿ”— Finding Harmony Between Design, Research, and the Bottom Line | Devin Harold and Stevie Vanderwiel discuss the evolving collaboration between design and research. Harold shares insights from his leadership at Capital One, outlining how design and research teams can co-own product discovery and decision-making using a Lead, Consult, Enable model.

๐Ÿ”— How AI Is Changing User Research Jobs | Thomas Stokes analyzes 2,983 job descriptions to assess how AI is shaping UX research roles. Only 11.2% of listings mention AI, but that number is rising (from 9.5% in 2024 to 16.4% in 2025). Mentions typically fall into three categories: working on AI products (39.8%), requiring AI experience or skills (40.1%), and AI use in hiring processes (24.3%).

๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Podcast Pick

๐ŸŒŽ๏ธ Community Event

๐Ÿ’ผ Job Picks

Are you a hiring manager looking to share research opportunities with a global network of over 2,000 researchers in more than 60 countries? We'd love to hear from you! Just drop us an email โœ‰๏ธ.

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Our weekly newsletter is a fantastic way to connect with a global audience! With over 2,000 researchers tuning in from more than 60 countries, it's a great chance for sponsors to boost their brand visibility and make a real impact. - ๐Ÿ’ฌ letโ€™s talk!

๐Ÿ‘‹ About us

Weโ€™re People of Research & Research Lunch Club - a global hybrid community uniting researchers across the industries, from UX Research to Behavioural Science. We connect, collab and grow. People of Research was created by @faysel.

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