Design & UX
UX Research
UX researchers who reach CDO level bring something competitors can't replicate: customer empathy backed by methodological rigor. They build design organizations that ship products users actually want, not just what stakeholders think looks good.
Career Progression
Rotational Tours · L1–L3
Build the craft. Prove you can wield the tools of Design & UX.
Transformational Tours · L4–L7
Deliver outcomes. Each tour has a defined mission and success criteria.
Foundational Tours · L8–L10
Shape the organization. Build institutions, not just products.
What Hiring Managers Look For
L1-L3: You demonstrate ability to run end-to-end research projects with clear methodology and can translate findings into actionable design recommendations that teams actually implement.
L4-L6: You've built research operations that scale across multiple product teams and can influence product strategy through data-driven insights that directly impact business metrics.
L7+: You've established research as a competitive advantage for the business, with a track record of research-informed decisions that drove measurable market differentiation and user adoption.
Common Career Transitions
UX Research → Product Strategy at L5-L6 for direct influence on roadmap priorities
UX Research → Design Systems at L4-L5 to scale research-informed design patterns
UX Research → Product Management at L6+ leveraging deep user insight for product vision