Competency | UX Researcher Level 2 | UX Researcher Level 3 | UX Researcher Level 4 | UX Researcher Level 5 | UX Researcher Level 6 |
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Product Systems Thinking and Product Architecture | You understand basic product architecture and dependencies within specific features. |
You map simple user workflows and system interactions effectively.
You identify immediate implementation impacts on existing functionality.
You seek guidance on architectural decisions and trade-offs while learning how systems interact. | You design feature-level architectures that consider multiple user workflows effectively.
You identify integration points with existing systems and third-party solutions independently.
You evaluate short-term technical trade-offs with support as needed.
You document system relationships and dependencies thoroughly to enable team understanding, ensuring that emerging growth initiatives and experimental features are considered in design decisions. | You design scalable product architectures across multiple features with confidence.
You balance technical constraints with business requirements independently.
You make informed architectural decisions considering long-term implications.
You effectively communicate system design across technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that the architecture supports both current product needs and rapid growth experiments and scaling opportunities. | You architect complex multi-product systems that scale effectively across the company.
You drive and champion architectural decisions that enable strategic platform evolution and accommodate rapid iteration and growth-focused initiatives.
You establish patterns and practices for sustainable system design.
You mentor others in systems thinking and architectural best practices while driving company-wide excellence. | You architect complex multi-product systems that scale effectively across the company.
You drive and champion architectural decisions that enable strategic platform evolution and accommodate rapid iteration and growth-focused initiatives.
You establish patterns and practices for sustainable system design.
You mentor others in systems thinking and architectural best practices while driving company-wide excellence. | | Product Product Strategy and Execution | You contribute to feature specifications and requirements within established frameworks.
You understand basic product strategy principles and apply them with guidance.
You follow established delivery processes effectively.You communicate updates to immediate stakeholders clearly.
You participate actively in planning and prioritization discussions, beginning to incorporate small-scale growth experiments to test hypotheses. | You own product strategy for major features and product areas with confidence.
You create comprehensive product roadmaps that align with business goals and integrate iterative testing and growth experiments as core components of the strategy.
You manage complex stakeholder relationships effectively.
You establish and improve delivery processes.
You make informed prioritization decisions independently.
You balance short- and long-term objectives while maintaining focus. | You own product strategy for major features and product areas with confidence.
You create comprehensive product roadmaps that align with business goals and integrate iterative testing and growth experiments as core components of the strategy.
You manage complex stakeholder relationships effectively.
You establish and improve delivery processes.
You make informed prioritization decisions independently.
You balance short- and long-term objectives while maintaining focus. | You develop multi-product strategy that drives company growth, explicitly incorporating frameworks for rapid experimentation and data-driven growth loops into strategic decision-making.
You drive company alignment on priorities across teams.
You create frameworks for strategic decision-making.
You establish product operations excellence through systematic improvements.
You mentor others in product strategy and execution.
You manage complex trade-offs independently with clear rationale. | You develop multi-product strategy that drives company growth, explicitly incorporating frameworks for rapid experimentation and data-driven growth loops into strategic decision-making.
You drive company alignment on priorities across teams.
You create frameworks for strategic decision-making.
You establish product operations excellence through systematic improvements.
You mentor others in product strategy and execution.
You manage complex trade-offs independently with clear rationale. | | Product User Research and Insights | You independently design and execute research studies using appropriate methodologies.
You implement research governance practices.
You create clear research artifacts and presentations that drive understanding.
You begin to integrate insights from user behavior analytics that inform growth strategies.
You enable basic self-service research capabilities for teams.
You synthesize insights across multiple data sources. | You design comprehensive research programs that address complex questions.
You develop new approaches for research challenges.
You create frameworks for insight synthesis.
You establish scalable research processes for teams that include synthesizing both qualitative insights and quantitative growth-related data to inform product iterations.
You build research partnerships across functions.
You balance quick tactical insights with strategic research needs. | You establish company-wide research methodologies that scale effectively.
You develop research strategy and roadmaps.
You create systems for democratizing insights while maintaining quality.
You build research capacity in other teams through enablement.
You connect research insights to both business strategy and growth initiatives, ensuring that user behavior and feedback directly inform rapid iteration and scaling decisions.
You mentor others in research excellence. | You establish company-wide research methodologies that scale effectively.
You develop research strategy and roadmaps.
You create systems for democratizing insights while maintaining quality.
You build research capacity in other teams through enablement.
You connect research insights to both business strategy and growth initiatives, ensuring that user behavior and feedback directly inform rapid iteration and scaling decisions.
You mentor others in research excellence. | You define the company research vision that transforms product development.
You create innovative research frameworks that advance company capabilities.
You establish research centers of excellence.
You champion research-driven decision making across the company.
You influence broader research community practices.
You drive strategic business decisions through research leadership. | | Product Technical Analytics and Data Systems | You implement basic tracking and analytics following established patterns.
You write efficient queries and data transformations that meet requirements.
You follow data modeling best practices consistently.
You maintain existing analytics infrastructure effectively.
You document technical implementations thoroughly for team use, ensuring that initial growth metrics are captured for basic analysis. | You design reliable data collection systems that scale appropriately.
You create efficient data models and schemas independently.
You implement effective data quality monitoring systems.
You build automated reporting systems that drive insights, including dashboards that support the real-time monitoring of growth experiments.
You maintain comprehensive analytics documentation.
You collaborate effectively on technical requirements gathering. | You design reliable data collection systems that scale appropriately.
You create efficient data models and schemas independently.
You implement effective data quality monitoring systems.
You build automated reporting systems that drive insights, including dashboards that support the real-time monitoring of growth experiments.
You maintain comprehensive analytics documentation.
You collaborate effectively on technical requirements gathering. | You architect complex data solutions that serve multiple stakeholders.
You design scalable data infrastructure with clear governance.
You implement comprehensive data quality frameworks.
You create reusable analytics components.
You enable advanced self-service capabilities, ensuring that stakeholders have rapid access to data needed to iterate on growth strategies.
You lead the technical implementation of tracking strategies. | You architect complex data solutions that serve multiple stakeholders.
You design scalable data infrastructure with clear governance.
You implement comprehensive data quality frameworks.
You create reusable analytics components.
You enable advanced self-service capabilities, ensuring that stakeholders have rapid access to data needed to iterate on growth strategies.
You lead the technical implementation of tracking strategies. | | Collaboration and Influence | You initiate collaboration with peers, fostering inclusivity by inviting diverse perspectives and being a good listener.
You document and share updates consistently in the correct channels, ensuring transparency and that the right people have the information they need.
You build trust with peers by preparing for discussions and focusing on achieving shared goals. | You lead cross-functional collaboration, influencing decisions and outcomes with clear communication.
You navigate differing opinions with empathy, resolving any conflicts in a way that strengthens team dynamics.
You identify opportunities to improve collaboration processes and take initiative to implement them. | You lead cross-functional collaboration, influencing decisions and outcomes with clear communication.
You navigate differing opinions with empathy, resolving any conflicts in a way that strengthens team dynamics.
You identify opportunities to improve collaboration processes and take initiative to implement them. | You refine and share expertise that enhance collaboration within and across teams, ensuring alignment in workflows and decision-making.
You provide actionable feedback that helps peers strengthen their collaboration and problem-solving skills.
You contribute to discussions that clarify roles, expectations, and best practices for effective teamwork. | You are a trusted collaborator across the company, influencing alignment on high-impact projects and strategies.
You design and implement frameworks that improve collaboration and inclusivity at scale.
You motivate teams to embrace collaborative practices that amplify influence and drive organizational success. | | Customer and Product Knowledge and Sharing | You actively gather and share insights on customer needs and product capabilities to help align team efforts.
You contribute to discussions by providing context on how our product meets customer and business objectives.
You identify gaps in team understanding of customer needs and product functionality, suggesting ways to address them. | You influence team decisions by integrating customer and product insights to advocate for value-driven solutions.
You share knowledge regularly, ensuring your team stays informed about evolving customer needs and product developments.
You recognize patterns in customer feedback and product performance, offering insights that contribute to continuous improvement. | You provide strategic insights that help teams align their work with customer and product needs.
You provide actionable feedback to guide teams in integrating customer and product knowledge into their workflows.
You take initiative in disseminating insights across teams by clarifying insights and supporting informed decision-making. | You provide strategic insights that help teams align their work with customer and product needs.
You provide actionable feedback to guide teams in integrating customer and product knowledge into their workflows.
You take initiative in disseminating insights across teams by clarifying insights and supporting informed decision-making. | You shape organizational strategies by leveraging a deep understanding of our customers and product to influence key priorities.
You design scalable processes that enhance the proactive sharing of customer and product knowledge across the company.
You lead a culture of informed decision-making, motivating teams to apply customer and product insights to drive valueable impact. | | Strategic Vision and Direction | You seek guidance to understand how your role and tasks fit into the company strategy, taking ownership to align your work with team and company or department goals.
You ask clarifying questions to ensure your work contributes meaningfully to team and company goals. | You take ownership of understanding how your work contributes to the team’s strategy and priorities, proactively seeking clarity when needed.
You demonstrate a developing understanding of cross-department goals, applying this knowledge to your work.
You contribute to the development of your departments strategy by providing relevant insights and feedback within your area of expertise and scope of your role. | You contribute to the development of high-level strategies by offering feedback and insights based on your expertise and understanding of your area of focus.
You focus on delivering on the strategy ensuring your work aligns with goals and priorities.
You collaborate with your manager, team, and cross-functional partners to integrate strategic objectives into your areas of responsibility.
You maintain a clear understanding of how your works supports our companies goals. | You contribute to shaping high-level strategies by providing expertise, analysis, and recommendations that drive clarity and impact.
You engage with leadership and peers to refine strategic direction, ensuring that processes remain scalable and aligned with long-term goals.
You model and share best practices that enhance strategic thinking across teams, strengthening decision-making and execution. | You possess a comprehensive, integrated understanding of the product and its strategic landscape, leading the development of cross-functional strategies that are both forward-thinking and aligned with company goals.
You proactively align cross-departmental efforts to maximize impact and efficiency, ensuring teams work cohesively toward shared objectives.
You anticipate challenges and opportunities, adapting strategies to maintain long-term alignment with the company’s vision and priorities. | | Challenge Status Quo and Innovation | You lead efforts to challenge and improve processes, demonstrating a clear understanding of team and company priorities.
You introduce new and innovative ideas that address key challenges and create measurable improvements.
You balance innovation with practicality, ensuring process evolution remains scalable and maintainable. | You provide feedback and encourage peers to explore and adopt approaches that refine existing practices, fostering continuous improvement.
You lead teams in navigating change by offering support and actionable steps to help them adapt and embrace new ways of working.
You refine ways of working, ensuring processes evolve to meet emerging company needs. | You provide feedback and encourage peers to explore and adopt approaches that refine existing practices, fostering continuous improvement.
You lead teams in navigating change by offering support and actionable steps to help them adapt and embrace new ways of working.
You refine ways of working, ensuring processes evolve to meet emerging company needs. | You are recognized as a thought leader by peers, shaping company practices and strategies.
You design systems that encourage and reward innovative thinking across teams.
You inspire teams to think creatively and challenge conventions, driving significant improvements at scale. | You are recognized as a thought leader by peers, shaping company practices and strategies.
You design systems that encourage and reward innovative thinking across teams.
You inspire teams to think creatively and challenge conventions, driving significant improvements at scale. | | Problem Solving and Decision Making | You analyze problems critically, using data and insights to identify root causes and potential risks.
You propose solutions that balance team needs with company goals, seeking input to ensure alignment and impact.
You make decisions within your scope, connecting the dots between problems and strategic priorities to ensure alignment with expectations and department/project objectives. | You independently navigate complex problems, addressing risks and opportunities with a clear understanding of their impact.
You balance multiple perspectives when making decisions, ensuring alignment with team and company objectives.
You identify and address systemic issues, implementing solutions that prevent recurrence. | You independently navigate complex problems, addressing risks and opportunities with a clear understanding of their impact.
You balance multiple perspectives when making decisions, ensuring alignment with team and company objectives.
You identify and address systemic issues, implementing solutions that prevent recurrence. | You provide tools and frameworks to help teammates develop their problem-solving skills.
You contribute to solving complex, cross-functional challenges by providing clarity, strategic insights, and structured recommendations.
You support decision-making by enabling to make informed decisions by guiding risk, trade-offs, and scalable solutions. | You anticipate and address strategic challenges, influencing company decision-making at the highest level.
You create and refine frameworks or processes that improve problem-solving and decision-making capabilities across the company.
You are recognized as a trusted advisor, providing guidance on critical decisions that shape the company’s success. | | Prioritization | You manage your time effectively by focusing on assigned tasks and meeting deadlines.
You seek guidance to clarify priorities and avoid distractions or low-impact work.
You complete tasks sequentially, ensuring alignment with team expectations and workflows. | You proactively identify high-impact tasks and adjust your focus to reflect changing priorities.
You manage your workload to ensure progress on key objectives, seeking help when blocked.
You help collaborators align on shared priorities, contributing to consistent progress in an autonomous environment. | You effectively balance priorities across multiple projects, ensuring sustained momentum despite competing demands.
You adjust priorities dynamically to respond to evolving company needs while keeping long-term objectives in focus. | You effectively balance priorities across multiple projects, ensuring sustained momentum despite competing demands.
You adjust priorities dynamically to respond to evolving company needs while keeping long-term objectives in focus. | You share prioritization techniques that help peers focus on the highest-impact work.
You refine and clarify priorities within your team, ensuring alignment with broader company goals.
You proactively address misaligned priorities by identifying gaps and proposing strategic adjustments to improve focus and execution. | | Delivery and Reliability | You consistently deliver high-quality results that align with team and organizational expectations.
You proactively address obstacles, ensuring progress toward goals even through changing circumstances.
You maintain accountability for your commitments, following through on tasks with minimal supervision.
You complete the work to the standards set out and take ownership to seek help if you are not clear. | You independently solve complex problems, addressing risks and opportunities with a clear understanding of their impact.
You balance multiple perspectives when making decisions, ensuring alignment with team and company objectives.
You identify and address systemic issues, implementing scalable solutions that prevent recurrence. | You independently solve complex problems, addressing risks and opportunities with a clear understanding of their impact.
You balance multiple perspectives when making decisions, ensuring alignment with team and company objectives.
You identify and address systemic issues, implementing scalable solutions that prevent recurrence. | You help teams navigate challenges by providing clear insights, structured recommendations, and actionable solutions that address root cause.
You take leadership in designing systems and processes that drive accountability, proactive problem-solving, and continuous improvement. | You help teams navigate challenges by providing clear insights, structured recommendations, and actionable solutions that address root cause.
You take leadership in designing systems and processes that drive accountability, proactive problem-solving, and continuous improvement. | | Communication | You tailor communication to different audiences and contexts, ensuring updates are relevant and impactful.
You document key work and insights regularly, fostering transparency and alignment in an asynchronous environment.
You actively seek and offer constructive feedback, using it to build trust and enhance delivery outcomes.
You provide thoughtful, concise updates during check-ins, keeping collaborators informed.
You communicate effectively and succinctly, selecting the right medium based on our tools and processes. | You communicate effectively across teams and stakeholders, ensuring your messaging is clear, accurate, and appropriate for different audiences and contexts.
You consistently document your work and insights in detail, enabling transparency, alignment, and ease of collaboration in an asynchronous environment.
You actively seek and provide actionable, constructive feedback, contributing to improved outcomes and stronger collaboration within your team.
You identify potential communication gaps in your work or team interactions and address them proactively to maintain alignment and efficiency.
Your communication is easy to find and track through our standard tools and processes. | You refine and model effective communication practices, coaching teamates improve clarity and impact in their messaging.
You contribute to structured and transparent communication within your team, ensuring that critical information is shared effectively.
You identify and refine processes to improve collaboration in an async culture, resolving communication gaps.
You facilitate team discussions, meetings, or updates, ensuring inclusivity, focus, and clear outcomes in both synchronous and asynchronous contexts.
You anticipate and resolve recurring communication challenges, refining collaboration processes for greater efficiency. | You refine and model effective communication practices, coaching teamates improve clarity and impact in their messaging.
You contribute to structured and transparent communication within your team, ensuring that critical information is shared effectively.
You identify and refine processes to improve collaboration in an async culture, resolving communication gaps.
You facilitate team discussions, meetings, or updates, ensuring inclusivity, focus, and clear outcomes in both synchronous and asynchronous contexts.
You anticipate and resolve recurring communication challenges, refining collaboration processes for greater efficiency. | You refine and model effective communication practices, coaching teamates improve clarity and impact in their messaging.
You contribute to structured and transparent communication within your team, ensuring that critical information is shared effectively.
You identify and refine processes to improve collaboration in an async culture, resolving communication gaps.
You facilitate team discussions, meetings, or updates, ensuring inclusivity, focus, and clear outcomes in both synchronous and asynchronous contexts.
You anticipate and resolve recurring communication challenges, refining collaboration processes for greater efficiency. | | Include these competencies if you are a people manager 👇 | | | | | | | Performance and Feedback | | You provide direct, timely feedback to reports, helping them refine their performance and align with expectations.
You address performance gaps with clarity, balancing support and accountability to drive improvement.
You foster a feedback culture by encouraging open conversations and modeling constructive discussions. | You provide direct, timely feedback to reports, helping them refine their performance and align with expectations.
You address performance gaps with clarity, balancing support and accountability to drive improvement.
You foster a feedback culture by encouraging open conversations and modeling constructive discussions. | You provide direct, timely feedback to reports, helping them refine their performance and align with expectations.
You address performance gaps with clarity, balancing support and accountability to drive improvement.
You foster a feedback culture by encouraging open conversations and modeling constructive discussions. | You provide direct, timely feedback to reports, helping them refine their performance and align with expectations.
You address performance gaps with clarity, balancing support and accountability to drive improvement.
You foster a feedback culture by encouraging open conversations and modeling constructive discussions. | | Empowerment and Accountability | | You set clear expectations with direct reports, ensuring they understand their responsibilities and performance standards.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by guiding them toward solutions rather than solving issues for them. | You set clear expectations with direct reports, ensuring they understand their responsibilities and performance standards.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by guiding them toward solutions rather than solving issues for them. | You set clear expectations with direct reports, ensuring they understand their responsibilities and performance standards.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by guiding them toward solutions rather than solving issues for them. | You set clear expectations with direct reports, ensuring they understand their responsibilities and performance standards.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by guiding them toward solutions rather than solving issues for them. | | Development and Growth | | You actively support the development of your direct reports by identifying growth opportunities aligned with their strengths and goals.
You provide regular coaching and feedback, helping direct reports build skills and confidence in their roles.
You collaborate with direct reports to create development plans that address skill gaps and prepare them for future opportunities. | You actively support the development of your direct reports by identifying growth opportunities aligned with their strengths and goals.
You provide regular coaching and feedback, helping direct reports build skills and confidence in their roles.
You collaborate with direct reports to create development plans that address skill gaps and prepare them for future opportunities. | You actively support the development of your direct reports by identifying growth opportunities aligned with their strengths and goals.
You provide regular coaching and feedback, helping direct reports build skills and confidence in their roles.
You collaborate with direct reports to create development plans that address skill gaps and prepare them for future opportunities. | You actively support the development of your direct reports by identifying growth opportunities aligned with their strengths and goals.
You provide regular coaching and feedback, helping direct reports build skills and confidence in their roles.
You collaborate with direct reports to create development plans that address skill gaps and prepare them for future opportunities. | | Relational Leadership | | You build trust with direct reports by practicing transparency, active listening, and empathy in your interactions.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by facilitating open conversations and modeling constructive resolution to issues or challenges.
You foster a positive team environment by encouraging collaboration, psychological safety, and shared problem-solving. | You build trust with direct reports by practicing transparency, active listening, and empathy in your interactions.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by facilitating open conversations and modeling constructive resolution to issues or challenges.
You foster a positive team environment by encouraging collaboration, psychological safety, and shared problem-solving. | You build trust with direct reports by practicing transparency, active listening, and empathy in your interactions.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by facilitating open conversations and modeling constructive resolution to issues or challenges.
You foster a positive team environment by encouraging collaboration, psychological safety, and shared problem-solving. | You build trust with direct reports by practicing transparency, active listening, and empathy in your interactions.
You help direct reports navigate challenges by facilitating open conversations and modeling constructive resolution to issues or challenges.
You foster a positive team environment by encouraging collaboration, psychological safety, and shared problem-solving. |