Framework
The four-signal test for hiring a UX researcher
A four-part test for deciding whether to hire a dedicated user researcher: volume (two or more funded studies a month for two quarters), stakes (decisions that cost more to get wrong than the role costs), ambiguity (questions that need methodological judgment) and absorption (a named person who will change the roadmap). Score each honestly. Koji covers the volume side, with AI-moderated interviews that run in parallel, so a hire can focus on judgment.
Where this appears
What's in this framework
- Volume: Two or more funded studies a month, two quarters in a row. Bursts before launches don't count.
- Stakes: The decisions research informs cost more to get wrong than the role costs to fill.
- Ambiguity: The questions need methodological judgment, not template studies a platform can run.
- Absorption: You can name the person who will change the roadmap based on a finding they didn't expect.
Use this image
Free to use in your docs, decks and posts under CC BY 4.0, as long as you credit Koji with a link to this page. To embed it, paste this into your page:
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-hire-a-ux-researcher-four-signals"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-hire-a-ux-researcher-four-signals/when-to-hire-a-ux-researcher-four-signals.png" alt="Framework of four signals that show when to hire a UX researcher: continuous volume, high stakes, ambiguous questions and someone who will act on findings." width="1200" height="752" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-hire-a-ux-researcher-four-signals">The four-signal test for hiring a UX researcher</a>, Koji</p>
