Summary
A user researcher is usually embedded in a multidisciplinary team and responsible for planning and carrying out user research activities. At this level, you will be expected to work independently on a team.
Work Activity Components
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Collect, analyse and share (Level 3) User research | Documents and shares the outcomes of user research. |
| Collaboration (Level 3) User research | Works closely with analytics and other insight colleagues to integrate customer data and research findings. |
| Involve, synthesise and inform (Level 3) User research | Provides evidence drawn from data and research analysis to represent the user in product and design discussions. |
Behavioural Skills
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Information Acquisition | Identifying gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them. |
| Attention to Detail | Applying specific quality standards to all tasks undertaken to ensure that deliverables are accurate and complete. |
| Verbal Expression | Communicating effectively using the spoken word. |
| Written Expression | Communicating effectively in writing, such as reports and via emails. |
| Teamwork | Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal. |
Technical Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Ergonomics and Iterative Design | Iterative methods and techniques to allocate and optimise the division of functions between the human, machine and organisational elements of IT systems and the functions themselves in terms of ergonomic impact. Systematic and iterative design of the physical and cognitive interfaces to create an effective user experience in a software system, product or service with attention paid to variety of locations and access devices employed by users. | Aware of |
Other Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation Techniques | Methods and techniques for delivering effective and accessible presentations, either face-to-face or online within various contexts and to a variety of audiences. | Aware of |
Training
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Investigation Techniques | Investigation and elicitation techniques (such as interviews, workshops, observation, statistical analysis) to obtain complete and accurate information about business areas and systems of interest. |
| Information and Data Modelling | Tools and techniques used to investigate, analyse and model the structure, relationships and use of data and information within an organisation. |
| Accessibility | Methods and techniques that ensure that users with physical impairments or learning disorders are not disadvantaged by the system. |
| Security Awareness | Tools and techniques to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches and for IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate risk. |
Professional Development Activity (PDA)
| Title | Details | PDA Group |
|---|---|---|
| Deputising | Standing in for supervisor or manager on a temporary basis during periods of absence. | Broadening Activities |
| Job Shadowing and Special Assignments | Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures. | Broadening Activities |
| Gaining Knowledge of Employing Organisation | Gaining basic knowledge of the employing organisation, its business, structure, culture, policies, products/services, operations and terminology. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Gaining Knowledge of Surrounding Technical Areas | Gaining knowledge of IT activities in employing organisation external to own function. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Research Assignments | Exploring a topic which is not part of own normal responsibilities and presenting findings to colleagues and/or management | Increasing Knowledge |
| Involvement in Professional Body Activities | Attending meetings, seminars and workshops organised by professional body and reading published material, such as journals and web content. | Participation in Professional Activities |
Organisational Skill Name and Description
| Framework | Skill | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Analysis and synthesis Analysis and insight involves examining, interpreting and analysing data to help make informed decisions. |
Working Inclusive research You can: understand the diversity of users of government services and the need to make services usable and accessible for everyone work with colleagues to include many kinds of users in appropriate research activities |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Inclusive research Incident management involves coordinating the response to incident reports, ensuring effective prioritisation, investigation and resolution. |
Working Inclusive research You can: understand the diversity of users of government services and the need to make services usable and accessible for everyone work with colleagues to include many kinds of users in appropriate research activities |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Research Requirements definition and management involves identifying and validating user or business requirements for a product or service. |
Working Research You can: understand and demonstrate experience in basic user research methods understand when to use these methods and how to apply them correctly effectively involve your team in research activities |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Society and technology Service support involves fixing service faults and maintaining the underlying infrastructure, ensuring processes are in place to keep the service running efficiently. |
Working Society and technology You can: understand the social and technological context of government services align user research activities to help your team understand changing user behaviour |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Strategic insight Strategy involves creating a plan to achieve a team or organisation's objectives. |
Working Strategic insight You can: understand what problem the team is trying to solve align user research activities to inform decision making and action |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Technical understanding (user-centred design) Performance measurement involves collecting and interpreting data to identify how a team, product or service is performing. |
Working Technical understanding (user-centred design) You can: demonstrate some knowledge of the technologies used to build and operate digital services understand the different technical roles in a digital team |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
User-centred and Agile practices |
Working User-centred and Agile practices You can: understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices effectively work with colleagues to plan and do continuous user research in a multidisciplinary team |
Qualification Components
| Title | Awarding Bodies |
|---|---|
| FEDIP Practitioner | The Federation for Informatics Professionals |
| BCS Foundation Certificate in User Experience UX | BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT |
The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is BCS. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.