5 Things you should know for interviewing a UX researcher.

1. Ask before you demand proof. 

Researchers work under mandatory confidentiality agreements. Most of what we produce cannot be shown externally. That is not resistance — it is professional obligation. Ask your candidate what they can share before making it a requirement.

2. A researcher is not a designer. 

Do not ask for a visual portfolio unless the role explicitly combines both functions. A researcher's output is the intelligence that drives design — not the final artifact. Requesting a portfolio signals the role may be misunderstood.

3. Design information is as confidential as the product itself. 

The data, insights, and strategic framing used to build products are protected at the same level as the products. This is not negotiable.

4. The interview is the proof. 

Structure your screening around how the candidate thinks — methodology, problem framing, stakeholder alignment. Asking for specific project examples puts the candidate in an ethical bind. That is not a test of competence; it is a test of willingness to breach confidentiality.

5. Process knowledge is the signal. 

Ask how they approach a business problem through research. Ask how they translate consumer insight into product direction. That conversation will tell you more than any portfolio ever could.

If we prepare for your interview, the interview should be prepared for us.