Strengthen Your User Research Superpowers
Make an impact, influence stakeholders, and be a leader.
Clear, Credible, and Practical.
Own and scale your superpowers with these magnificent tips and plays from Kuldeep.
An essential read for anyone eager to delve into the heart of research.
What is this book about?
52 user research superpowers, organized into 4 sections
Each Superpower (chapter) includes:
What? Why it matters, and How to use this superpower
What's inside the book?
52 superpowers, 2 wild cards, 60 illustrations, several frameworks, personal stories, and a healthy dose of practical application.
STRENGTHEN CORE - Section 1
Start with Desk Research, Always!
Triangulate Insights from Multiple Methods: Power of Qualitative and Quantitative.
Gain a Deep Understanding of Sample Size.
Embrace Guerilla Usability - Just Do It, Find a Way!
Overcome Participant Recruiting Challenges. Yes, You Can!
Master Remote Unmoderated Research for Productivity.
Drive Strategic Discovery Research.
Sharpen Your Research Moderation Expertise.
Stay Aware of Interpretation Challenges.
Master the Art of Data Visualization.
Refresh Your Statistics: Know Your Numbers.
Conduct Competitive Analysis Through Structured Desk Research.
Conduct Usability Research Using Participants with Disabilities.
NURTURE ENGAGEMENT - Section 2
Provide Observers with a Fabulous Experience.
Adopt a ‘Reverse Chronology’ Approach: Envision Outcomes BEFORE Conducting Research.
Ask Stakeholders About Their Expectations BEFORE Conducting Research.
Reports: Show, Don’t Tell. Compelling Narrative and Actionable Recommendations.
Become a *Star* with an Insights Repository.
Lead Workshop: Be a Champion of Whiteboard Facilitation, Both In-Person and Remote.
Got Questions?’ Everyone’s Got Them. Position User Research as a way to Get Answers!
Treat User Research as a Team Sport by Involving Everyone Throughout the Process.
Make Continuous Discovery Your North Star, Embrace It As a Habit, Not Just An Attitude.
Democratize Research To Drive User-Centric Culture.
Demonstrate Empathy for Product, Design, Marketing, and Engineering Team Members.
Demonstrate Empathy for Executives.
Master the Art of Influence across the organization.
DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP - Section 3
Generate Demand for Research by Demonstrating Value.
Integrate Research With the Product Development Life Cycle (PDLC).
Summarize Your Achievements Every 90 days.
Utilize the 5-V Framework. Calculate ROI: Narrate Success Stories.
Be Bold: Ask for Investments with a Business Case. Be Prepared for ‘NO’ as an Answer.
Recognize That With ‘Budget’ Power Comes the Responsibility to Demonstrate Value.
Enhance Organization’s Research Maturity: Develop a Vision and a Roadmap.
Hire Consultants and Invite Guest Speakers to Create an Organization-Wide Impact.
Implement UX Benchmarking to Secure a Seat at the Decision-Making Table.
Continuously Onboard New Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers.
Define Career Path (Job Levels, Roles, and Expectations).
Coach, Don’t Manage. Build and Maintain a High-Performance Research Team.
Gain a Deeper Understanding of Pricing to Influence It Effectively.
ELEVATE EXPERTISE - Section 4
Leverage AI for Productivity.
Become a Skilled Negotiator: Understand Win-Win Approach.
Learn from Sales & Marketing: Utilize ‘Pain-Gain’ and ‘Gap Selling.’
Master the Fundamentals of Business and Finance.
Excel as a Master Storyteller and be Articulate.
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch. Build Your Personal Brand as a UX Researcher.
Immerse Yourself in Data and Analytics: Learn it, Know it, Use it, Master it.
Fully Embrace Diversity and Inclusion.
Attend UX conferences. Network for the Latest Advancements in the Field.
Mentor and Be Mentored: A Two-Way Street in UX Careers.
Publish Your Work, Then Publish More.
Refresh Your Portfolio and Resume: Complacency is the Enemy.
If You’ve Tried Every Superpower and It Does Not Work, Maybe It’s Not You.
Author: Kuldeep Kelkar | Connect via LinkedIn
Kuldeep Kelkar is a Silicon Valley User Experience practitioner and leader. He has worked for and consulted with Start-Ups and Fortune 500 Enterprises. His journey with User Experience Design and Research began in the late 1990s, during the dot-com days.
Kuldeep published Strengthen Your User Research Superpower, a book that helps UX professionals make an impact, influence stakeholders, and be leaders.
Kuldeep is a Partner at UXReactor. Before joining UXReactor, Kuldeep led UX Professional Services, Customer Success (Research Partners), Customer Education, and Support for UserZoom, now part of UserTesting. For eight years, he and his talented research team delivered high-value research services, actionable insights, strategic consulting, and change management programs for UserZoom’s Fortune 500 customers.
Kuldeep was PayPal’s first full-time User Researcher in 2004. He then led User Research globally and UX Design teams until 2014. He also led the User Experience Design practice for Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) at the Santa Clara Design Studio from 2014 to 2015.
Kuldeep holds a Master’s Degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) from the Department of Industrial Engineering at Clemson University, South Carolina, and a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Nagpur University, India.
Connect with me on LinkedIn (preferred), or you can reach me at kuldeepkelkar AT gmail DOT com.
If you are a user researcher who wants to drive strategic and long-lasting impact, this book is a perfect guide: practical, insightful, and actionable. Own and scale your superpowers with these magnificent tips and plays from Kuldeep. It’s guaranteed to uplift you and the craft.
Clear, Credible, and Practical. Kuldeep distills decades of knowledge from a user research visionary into an accessible, actionable guide. This isn't just about mastering user research; it's about driving real-world impact with practical examples you can implement immediately. Unlock your superpowers with Kuldeep’s insights and take your user research skills to the next level.
This insider's playbook covers hard skills, soft skills, and the often-overlooked "business of UX" — everything you need to impact products, influence collaborators, and become a leader on your team. Whether you’re new to the field, eager to learn, or a seasoned UX researcher looking to up your game, "Strengthen Your User Research Superpowers" delivers.
What I love about Kuldeep's playbook is the flexibility, humility, and quietly revolutionary superpower of empathy he unleashes for any team, organization, or business wanting to innovate from a human perspective. This is a must-read for any thoughtful leader who wants to jump into a future based on compassion and purpose more boldly.
Want to be the next Apple, PayPal, or amazing applied AI startup? Follow the User Obsessed Superpowers in this book that yield breakthrough results!
Theory and practical advice. A must-read for all who are starting in UX research and for those who need to clarify/refresh some of the theory. You'll probably carry this book around with you. It is a helpful guide showing readers how to use the vast array of user research skills.
Wow, so much intel packed into one book. It's very practical! It's ideal for anyone who wants to take it to another level.
By blending practical wisdom with strategic foresight, this book not only equips UX researchers with the foundational knowledge to thrive but also illuminates the transformative path toward becoming influential leaders in the field.
I love the structure of this book! Kuldeep has organized key "superpowers" that every user experience researcher should have in their arsenal. Each topic has enough substance to be valuable for both the most and least experienced researchers.
A practical book with tips and best practices every UX researcher should own. Focused on action over theory, it serves as a helpful guide to strengthen our UX superpowers and positively impact the business. Organized into four sections, each highlighting a different UX superpower, this book is essential for anyone looking to increase their organization’s research maturity and build a more impactful and respected UXR practice.
Kuldeep's insights and tips provide a clear path to becoming a high impact leader in UX research. 5 Stars all the way!
An essential playbook for every user researcher. The 52 superpowers outlined are game-changers for driving influence and becoming a true leader within your organization.
Packed with anecdotes and advice, this is an easy and insightful read for new and experienced researchers alike. Highly recommended for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of user research!
Kuldeep has turned years of User Research experience into 52 actionable strategies to unleash your research superpowers. A must-read for advancing your career.
This book is a goldmine of actionable strategies, not one but 52. It’s like having a mentor (Kuldeep) guide you through the intricacies of user research.
A must-read for aspiring and seasoned researchers alike, this book's unique format and rich content make it an indispensable tool for professional growth. Kuldeep has done an incredible job building this resource for our community.
The card deck analogy makes this book both informative and an easy read. I highly recommend it.
User Research is a critical component of building great experiences. This book is a goldmine of actionable strategies for getting the most from user research. Kuldeep is both a seasoned practitioner and a visionary in this space. He's written what should essentially be the field manual for the industry going forward. It's a must-read for anyone interested in doing quality UX research.
I have known and worked with Kuldeep for decades. His domain knowledge and personal experience make this book an essential read for anyone eager to delve into the heart of research.
Finally! A reference list and a practical guide for ensuring user research is actionable and has business impact. “Superpowers” inspire those at every level by providing tactical recommendations for demonstrating the value of user research. I especially appreciate how the list is organized into sensible chapters, which makes it easy to be a reference. My team and I will be reaching for this list on at least a quarterly basis.
I felt truly empowered while reading this book. It provides a clear roadmap, packed with practical tips and guides; I can see it becoming an essential go-to resource for anyone looking to enhance their user research impact in various situations!
This book is a must-read for anyone building products who wants to drive an exceptional end-to-end user experience. Achieving customer centricity can be challenging, but Kuldeep does an excellent job sharing practical tactics to overcome these challenges.
It is a phenomenal and easy-to-understand resource for any leader or practitioner looking to harness the superpower of user-centered insights. This book distills 25 years of valuable experience into a must-have tabletop resource for everyone.
As an independent author, your positive reviews on Amazon make a world of difference. If you enjoyed the book, I’d be grateful if you could take a moment to leave a five-star review. Thank you so much!
As an independent author, your positive reviews on Amazon make a world of difference.
If you enjoyed the book, I’d be grateful if you could take a moment to leave a five-star review. Thank you so much!
