Why go paid? Some important information and FAQs
What is the User Research Strategist?
My job is to create and share content that helps user researchers create, measure, and demonstrate their value and impact on a daily basis. Practically speaking, the User Research Strategist provides you with everything you need to know to become a more strategic and impactful user researcher.
Why are you doing this?
Like many, I struggled to find valid and reliable user research resources on the internet and, often, found contradicting information that made it difficult for me to assess what was good versus bad advice. So, I now take my over ten years of experience and distill it into information to help you become more successful and demonstrate your impact as a user researcher. All my content is based on years of personal experience — and I am still a working practitioner, regularly working on research projects in Jersey. I’m here to provide you with information you know you can trust.
Why do you charge for content?
This is one of my full-time jobs, and I plan to keep doing it for as long as you keep supporting me. This venture is sustained through people paying for the content. My goal has always been to earn a fair living wage and keep up with my strict visa requirements so I can continue creating content for you without interruption.
So, if you find my work valuable and find yourself relying on it, invest in the continued production of the User Research Strategist by becoming a supporting member so I can continue to help you measure and demonstrate your impact.
Want to make a one-time contribution? As an alternative, you can support The User Research Strategist with one-time contributions of £25, £50, £100, and £200.
I don’t have any money. How can I help? Non-financial forms of subscribers are just as important and impactful as financial forms of membership. The best way to contribute to the success is to share it with your friends and colleagues. It’s free and has a big impact. Share it on LinkedIn or email someone the link.
The next best way to contribute is to like my content and post a meaningful comment. I appreciate these gestures very much.
What's the money for? The cost of running The User Research Strategist isn’t free. It’s one of my full-time jobs, and I’m determined to keep it sustainable.
Here’s a rough estimate of the monthly costs required to run the User Research Strategist:
TOTAL MONTHLY COST:
Hosting and email tools, which include (but aren’t limited to) things like:
Payment fees (ex: Stripe + Substack)
Google Drive
Notion
Calendly, addEvent
Canva
Cloudflare
= £3,500/month
My labor
Let’s pretend my salary is the average lead user researcher in the UK, which is £80,000/year, in which case, for each piece of content, my activities include:
At least three hours researching and outlining
At least three hours writing an article or piece of content
One hour producing the newsletter, setting up the post, cutting images, publishing, troubleshooting, fixing typos
Two hours producing the podcast episodes
One to two hours of community management and social media distribution
One to two hours of maintenance, help desk/support, etc
= £6,500/month
15% risk adjustment
Quitting a salaried job that included full benefits to run a blog and newsletter that’s supported entirely by optional, pay-whatever-you-want memberships comes with substantial personal and professional risk. While I’m prepared to experience some variable income, I’m not prepared to run the User Research Strategist at a loss for an extended period of time.
= ~£2,082/month
2.26% inflation adjustment
I’ve included an inflation adjustment to reflect the changing cost of living to ensure that my compensation isn't eroded by inflation.
= ~£313/month
Grand Total: ~£11,300/month
As you can see, nobody is getting rich here. It’s not like there’s a 401(k) plan, vacation benefits, paid sick leave, or other perks, let alone full-time employees. The truth is that while it’s nice to work from home, it’s also lonely. Someday, I’d like to afford coworkers and an office that’s not in my basement.
I hope this transparency addresses any concerns you may have and demonstrates why your support is critical to keeping the User Research Strategist going strong.
What are your core values?
Empowerment through knowledge. Knowledge is most powerful when it’s actionable. I’m committed to empowering user researchers with the skills and insights they need to make a real impact. Every resource I provide is designed to enable readers to confidently lead research projects that drive design and product decisions.
Simplicity in complexity. I value clarity and simplicity in a field that can often feel overwhelming. I believe that even the most complex research methodologies can be made approachable. Our goal is to demystify advanced techniques and present them in a way that anyone—whether a beginner or a seasoned professional—can understand and implement.
Lifelong learning. I believe that mastery is a journey, not a destination. I foster a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. This community thrives on curiosity and the desire to stay ahead of the ever-evolving world of user research. I’m committed to always bringing fresh, cutting-edge insights to readers.
Community and collaboration. I value the collective strength of shared knowledge and experiences. I believe that the best learning happens in a community. That’s why we encourage collaboration, open dialogue, guest speakers, and mutual support among readers. By working together, we help each other grow and achieve success in our research careers.
Integrity and transparency. I am committed to honesty, accuracy, and openness in everything I do. Trust is the foundation of my work. I ensure that all my content is based on reputable sources, real-world applications, and transparent practices.
How do I navigate the content?
My content is divided into three pillars that I use to define impact:
Strategy. This pillar focuses on ensuring that your research efforts are aligned with business goals, targeting the right problems, and setting the foundation for success. The ROI for the Strategy pillar is tied to how effectively your research influences business outcomes.
Execution. Effective execution means using the right methodologies, tools, and approaches to answer the critical questions defined in the Strategy phase. This is where you get into the trenches—running interviews, surveys, usability tests, and all the other methodologies we know and love. But the focus here isn’t just on gathering data; it’s on gathering actionable insights.
Activation. The best research in the world is useless if it sits in a deck that nobody ever reads. Activation means communicating your insights in a way that compels stakeholders to take action. It’s about influencing decision-making, driving product development, and ensuring that the business acts on the valuable insights you’ve worked so hard to uncover.
I recommend understanding which pillar you have the most gaps and opportunities to learn in and starting to browse the content that way. Additionally, use the search functionality to look up specific information.
Ready to start?
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