UX Research aka User Research aka Design Research aka Product Research aka Usability Research is the process of understanding user behaviours, needs, preferences, motivations, and attitudes by using various observation and feedback collection methods to test hypotheses, assumptions, and solutions. It's one of many parts that make up UX.
Part of a UX Researcher's job is facilitation. That means beyond conducting research, you're facilitating conversations and workshops with stakeholders to help them come to a better understanding of what users want and need.
I have written about learning UX Research on the job, so I want to share some of the resources I've used and I still use to figure things out.
You can also read: The Complete Beginner's Guide to UX Research
[Career Foundry] What is User Research and what is it's purpose
[Medium | Design at IBM] “The vital role of user research
[Medium | Microsoft Design] Skip User Research Unless You’re Doing It Right
[UX Mag] Understanding the Importance of User Research with Steve Portigal
[UX Matters] UX Research Is Essential to Product Success
<aside> 💡 It's not just about conducting research, it's about doing it the right way, and asking the right questions. Bad research can be as costly as no research. See: What Walmart’s Cleanliness Experiment Teaches about Customer Feedback
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[Career Foundry] A step by step guide to conducting research
[UX Booth] A complete beginner's guide to UX Research.
[User Interviews] UX Research Field Guide
[Boxes and Arrows] A Stakeholder Interview Checklist