Who is UX research for?

Building a successful UX research strategy starts with understanding your research stakeholders. These are the people your research will impact and whom you need to work with to complete the project. Understanding who they are helps you communicate findings effectively and ensure research gets used.

Stakeholders can be categorized by their relationship to research:

• Business stakeholders include upper management, product managers, marketing, and sales. They ensure research aligns with business goals and control resources. A VP of Product might validate strategic direction, while marketing directors need user preferences for campaigns.
• Engineering stakeholders are developers, QA teams, and technical support. They provide information about technical limitations. A senior engineer might test prototype feasibility, while QA needs user workflows for test cases.
• UX stakeholders are designers, researchers, and technical writers who need research results for design decisions. A product designer might validate interaction patterns, while content strategists need insights for messaging.

Understanding these categories helps tailor communication so each stakeholder gets the information needed for informed decisions.^[1]