How to Make Your Life As a UX Freelancer the Best It Can Be with Cory Lebson

UX Research Freelance Work-Life Balance

UX Research Freelance Work-Life Balance
(or How To Make Your Life As a Freelancer the Best It Can Be)

Original presentation by Cory Lebson on August 12, 2021, via Zoom

Click to view the recording of Cory’s presentation.

Cory Lebson has been a UX research freelancer exclusively since 2008. He has a microbusiness, Lebsontech LLC, with a few subcontractors. His book, The UX Careers Handbook, will be out in a second edition in early 2022. He has been a leader for the international and Washington, D. C., chapters of the UXPA. He teaches classes on LinkedIn Learning and has a blog.

These Are Anxious Times The state of the world is stressful, but now is as good as any time to become a freelancer. Lebson became a freelancer in the midst of The Great Recession. Outsiders often think freelancers are off having fun in the sun and that they can work from anywhere. But the reality is that freelancing can be really lonely. Often there are no colleagues, and no friends around, especially during Covid. While this can feel isolating, there are things to do to find a balanced, happy place.

Staying Busy There is a level of risk in freelancing, but there are risks in any job. One of the stressful parts of UX research freelancing is getting enough work to keep busy. Lebson’s work philosophy is that there are many small puzzle pieces that fit together for a successful UX research freelance career. His favorite approach is mixing things up by not putting all the eggs in one basket. Having a big contract can be wonderful, but it was difficult when it came to an end overnight. It’s important to pay attention to other, smaller projects, and keep many irons in the fire. It’s okay to take a big contract, but it’s critical to put out feelers for future work even when you are busy with current work.

Being an Introvert or Extrovert Doesn’t Matter If you are interested in UX, you care about people. Their goals and needs become your priority. It doesn’t matter if you are introverted or extroverted because ultimately, you still have to do the work.  People are the most interesting and challenging part of the puzzle. Meeting and interacting with them is important.

Is Remote Work Forever? Before the pandemic, Lebson enjoyed traveling for work and the mental reset of dropping into a new place. His happy place is high-touch, customized research. Covid made that hard because of reduced travel. Ultimately, he was able to continue research in person by observing Covid protocols and social distancing. Will place matter again? Yes. Place matters. UX will not remain fully remote. Observation matters.

Being Flexible Is Key to Workplace Happiness Flexibility is another puzzle piece. In UX research freelance work–and in any UX work–being able to fit into multiple situations is critical. Build in buffer time to your schedule. Work-life balance is important for a UX research freelance life. Do not try to fill every moment of your calendar. Balance the ramping up and the ramping down of projects.  Lebson tries to book work 3-4 weeks ahead and keeps buckets of time available, which allow him to say yes to small projects (or other things) that come up. It is always disappointing to have to say no to projects that are too big, but maintaining balance is key.

Another tip is to be flexible with travel plans (when anything can happen) so you don’t miss any scheduled work. Be flexible when scheduling testing so you don’t knock yourself out. Build exercise into every day for physical and mental wellness. Don’t pack your schedule; you will get overwhelmed and that is not good for physical or mental health. Develop materials (testing scripts, etc.) that are adaptable using tools such as Google docs on Google drive, so that last-minute changes can be accommodated.

Remember to Let Things Go It took Lebson half his career to learn that you can’t put too much emotional energy into saving the world all the time. Do your best, and that’s good enough.

Keep Learning Happiness is keeping UX work going even when not getting paid. This is different than not getting money. You might get training or other value in exchange for your work, so you are not just working for free. If work slows, figure out a way to keep learning: presentations, LinkedIn Learning, videos, podcasts, blogs. Even when working, spend 2-3 hours a week learning something new about UX.

Get Involved Wherever you are, join your local organizations for UX research freelancers or your chapter of UXPA. Connect with the people. A loose association with other UX peers will be beneficial within whatever industry you work. Really attend events and connect with others. Find your virtual community, too. Use #UX to find conversations and engage in the UX community, regardless of Covid. Be a leader because helping others ultimately helps yourself. For Lebson, involvement in the UXPA for social connection ultimately helped freelance business. Share your thoughts on blogs, publications, websites.  People will find you. You create your own serendipity.

Beyond Work Another tip for work-life balance as a UX research freelancer: Find your happy place and figure yourself out. The lockdown did prompt a lot of soul searching. Lebson discovered he needed more outdoor time, as well as more sensory and visual stimulation. He bought exercise equipment, biometric monitors, and a VR headset to improve work life during the pandemic.

Past Events

• How to Make Your Life as a Freelancer the Best it Can Be, August 12, 2021, via Zoom
– UX Research Freelance Work-Life Balance

• UXr Guild is Meeting UX Researchers in New York City, July 8, 2021, New York City
– How to Become a Freelance UX Researcher

by Cindy Wu, Web Developer

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by Cindy Wu, Web Developer

Clients Featured Image

Hiring a Freelance UX Researcher

Hiring a Freelance UX Researcher

Why Hire a Freelance or Contract UX Researcher?

Hiring a freelance researcher is the fastest way to bring expertise to your team. Hiring a full-time employee can take months, but a freelancer can often be hired in days or weeks. This may enable you to conduct additional studies, or have an additional researcher to moderate tests, conduct interviews, or organize and analyze data. If you need a specific area of expertise, hiring a freelancer can bring that capability to your team very quickly.

Where Can You Hire UX Research Consultants?

The Guild brings together the best research consultants from the U.S. and Canada, so you don’t have to hunt for them one by one. Whether you have a 6-week study or a 6-month contract, we have a research consultant for you.

Agencies typically charge a 60-100% markup to place contractors or conduct studies. The Guild charges a markup as low as 19.9%— helping clients get the best research at the best rate. We also offer fixed bids on projects. By using the Guild, you help independent researchers succeed.

“The Guild has been stellar at providing exactly the right moderators at exactly the moment we need them. The first time we worked together was a typical ‘fire drill’ –a study popped up unexpectedly, and I needed an experienced moderator within days. This client was particularly important to my business, so I needed to have an extra-high level of confidence in this moderator.

I called the Guild with my requirements, and in just a few days, they provided options to choose from, each with relevant research expertise. I chose a very experienced researcher and the moderation and insight provided were both top notch. My client was very happy, and UXr Guild solidified its position as my researcher resource.”

Meredith, Agency owner

Independent UX Research Professionals

Our researchers are self-employed professionals who offer their expertise on a per-project or hourly basis. They typically work remotely, but they can also travel by special arrangement to conduct in-person testing sessions or interviews, present findings, or meet with stakeholders.

Guild Research Teams

Research projects requiring multiple researchers are led by a research director who plans and oversees the study, with other staff necessary to conduct the research, gather and analyze data, and report findings. The research director ensures that proper protocols are followed for participant privacy, data compliance, and accurate analysis.

If you are an enterprise research leader, we invite you to learn more about UXr Leaders. This group facilitates learning and networking among research leaders across the U.S.

Periodically, we feature Guild researchers who are available for work. If you would like to receive an email with information about our featured researchers, subscribe here.

Freelance UX Researchers for Start-ups

If your start-up is too new or small to have a full-time researcher or research team, you still need the insights that research provides to guide your product development or service design. Hiring a freelance researcher may allow you to gain valuable insights from your customers in just a few weeks or months, to refine your offering and accelerate product/market fit. Research at the earliest stages of product development is arguably the most valuable. A freelance research consultant can bring industry experience, product experience, and familiarity with the best testing methods and tools to obtain the insights your need.

Should You Hire an Employee or Independent Contractor?

How do you decide whether to hire a temporary W-2 employee ora freelance researcher (1099 independent contractor)? The first consideration is what level of expertise you need. Senior researchers and consultants often prefer to work independently. If you need that level of expertise, you’re more likely to find it among independent contractors. Secondly, what level of control do you want to have over the researcher? If you control where, when, and how work is done and provide the facilities and equipment to conduct studies, that suggests an employer-employee relationship. If you wield less control and the researcher has additional clients, that is typically viewed as independent contracting, which allows researchers to have more freedom and reduces employer expenses.

How to Hire an Independent Contractor?

How can employers legally hire those who want to be classified and work as independent contractors? Some states are especially keen to protect employees from misclassification as independent contractors. They want workers to have all the benefits and protections afforded employees and have raised the burden of proof for those who want to work independently. The key to a successful IC engagement is clearly demonstrating independent contractor status.

Legally Hiring Freelancers, Contractors, and Consultants

The IRS and each state use either the common law or ABC test to assess whether the employer has sufficient behavioral control (where, when, and how the researcher works) and financial control to constitute an employer-employee relationship. Both the Borello test and the ABC test of California’s AB5 assume workers are employees unless they are shown to be independent contractors.
When examining the relationship of the parties, if the researcher provides services for multiple clients, and their work is outside the normal domain of their clients, those are important indications that the researcher is an independent contractor. Behavioral control, financial control, and the relationship of the parties are the three means of demonstrating independence.

Contract UX Researchers or Consultants

Contract UX researchers or research consultants who are independent contractors are not subject to the direct behavioral or financial control of a single employer. Since they are not employees, companies are not required to provide employment benefits. Those who choose independent contracting prefer this arrangement. They typically work remotely, maintain several clients, and may bill hourly or on a fixed-bid basis. They enjoy having control over which clients and projects they accept and the freedom to work in the way that is most suitable for them and each project.

by Cindy Wu, Web Developer

Freelance UX Researcher Hourly Rates

How Do We Determine Rates?

We establish pay and bill rates that accurately reflect the requirements of each project. We bill for Guild researchers at a markup of 29.9% for engagements of less than 100 hours, 24.9% for engagements of 100 up to 250 hours, and 19.9% for engagements of 250 hours or more. Rates shown in the table below are at the 19.9% markup.

These rates vary based on the research demands, the researcher’s expertise, the time commitment and length of the engagement, researcher availability, client budget, and other factors. Because of this, each engagement is unique; however, we publish the following rate ranges as a guideline:

3-5 Years of Experience

Pay Rate

Bill Rate

$60

$71.94

$70

$83.93

$80

$95.92

$90

$107.91

5-10 Years of Experience

Pay Rate

Bill Rate

$90

$107.91

$100

$119.90

$110

$131.89

$120

$143.88

7-12 Years of Experience

Pay Rate

Bill Rate

$100

$119.90

$110

$131.89

$120

$143.88

$130

$155.87

8-15+ Years of Experience

Pay Rate

Bill Rate

$120

$143.88

$130

$155.87

$140

$167.86

$150

$179.85

10-20+ Years of Experience

Pay Rate

Bill Rate

$120

$143.88

$140

$167.86

$160

$191.84

$180

$215.82

by Cindy Wu, Web Developer

Talent Scout

Would you like to help other UX researchers
and make extra money using relationships and skills
you’ve already developed?

Talent Scouts

Are you well-versed in UX research?
Do you have experience interviewing and hiring?
Do you enjoy working with people and helping them achieve their goals?
Do you know researchers from school, work, meet ups, professional associations, conferences, or social media?
If so, you could be an ideal candidate for a UXr Talent Scout.

Talent Scouts are located throughout the U.S. and Canada.
They work from 1 to 5 hours per week.
They look for exceptional UX researchers and invite them to work with UXr.
They support the researchers they recruit wherever they are on their freelance journey. That may involve waiting until they are ready to start freelancing, updating their resume, creating a portfolio, recording an introductory video, and starting to market their availability. They may start part-time and work up to full-time freelancing. Talent Scouts may look for work opportunities that fit their researchers and try to help them find work

Talent Scouts are independent contractors who are paid a percentage of the profits they generate placing researchers and also from any hiring managers they bring to UXr.

It is a great gig for those who know UX research, enjoy working with people, and want to build the UX research community.

Account Scouts

Instead of researchers, Account Scouts are looking for UX research managers who may want to hire freelancers. They primarily use relationships they already have with colleagues, former managers, employers, and social media connections. They use their contacts to connect with hiring managers.

They introduce hiring managers to UXr, setting up a zoom call or other introduction, and keep in touch until they need to hire a contractor. At that point, they ensure the hiring manager has a contact at UXr to help them.

Account Scouts are independent contractors who are paid a percentage of the profits they generate by introducing hiring managers to UXr.

Being an Account Scout is a great gig for those who know UX research managers, are good at maintaining relationships, and want to build the UX research community.

Can you be both a Talent Scout and Account Scout? Yes. That means you’re keeping an eye out for both UX researchers and research managers.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Talent Scout or Account Scout (or both), please complete this form: https://forms.gle/pK4UpxzGa8AiXw2F8

by Cindy Wu, Web Developer

Expertise

Organizations that are closest to their customers and learn the fastest have a competitive advantage today. The sooner
insights are gleaned and turned into product improvements, the more useful and successful products become.
User experience research is the key to this iterative process.

Guild Researchers Use Various Methods, Tools, and Analysis to Distill the Most Valuable and Actionable Insights

UX Research

Research Design
Product Discovery
Generative Research
Summative Testing
Product Evaluation
Accessibility Testing
Training/Leadership
Consulting

Qualitative Methods

Contextual Inquiry
Diary Studies
Ethnographic Studies
Expert Review
Lab Testing
Remote Testing
Task Analysis
Usability Testing
User Interviews

Quantitative Methods*

A/B or Multivariate Testing
App or Web Analytics
Benchmarking
Card Sorting
Eyetracking
Surveys
Tree Testing

*Some methods can
be qualitative and
quantitative.

Modalities

Business
Consumer
Device
Mobile App
Voice
Website

Research Software

dScout
Lookback.io
Loop 11
Maze
Marvel
Optimal Workshop
Usability Hub
Useberry
UserTesting.com
Userzoom
Validately

Analytics Software

Adobe Analytics
Amplitude
Delve
Fullstory
Google Analytics
Hotjar
Looker
Mixpanel
Pendo

Guild Research Experts design and execute research studies; write surveys, guides, and scripts; conduct user interviews and moderate remote studies; review testing sessions; gather and analyze data; validate findings; and produce reports. They can augment your staff or conduct independent studies. They can also train or manage research staff, consult, and present findings to internal stakeholders.

Online Testing and
Session Recording

Unmoderated, remote testing is the most practical option for many small and mid-size companies. A plethora of tools allow for participant recruiting, session recording, expert analysis, improved workflow, and team coordination. With physical distancing the norm, remote testing is now preferred by many large organizations as well.

Lab Usability Testing

A usability lab is an ideal setting in which to conduct usability research. The standardized conditions yield the most reliable outcomes and allow for comparison testing. Observation and eye tracking can also be utilized. The main drawbacks are that facilities and staff make lab testing expensive and with COVID-19 in-person testing is impractical for now.

by Raymond Lee, Founder

Employers

When you need expert researchers, leave the searching to UXr.work

Researchers on our platform are experts located throughout the U.S. Our Talent Scouts invite researchers who they have worked with and know to be excellent practitioners. If they don’t already know them well, candidates are thoroughly vetted by our research experts before being invited to the platform. From this pool we select the best researcher for your needs, so you have an expert when your work demands one.

Each month we feature 3-5 researchers from our talent pool who have exceptional backgrounds and are available for local or remote contract assignments. If you would like to receive an email with our featured researchers, subscribe below.

Contract Researchers

(Onsite, W-2 Employees)

Do you need a capable researcher to help run studies, review session recordings, or tabulate data?

If you prefer researchers who work onsite, they are considered employees working under your supervision. We handle payroll, benefits, insurance, and pay employer taxes which require a higher markup.

Self-employed Researchers

(Offsite, 1099 Independent Contractors)

Do you need a consultant who can design a survey, questionnaire, or a study?

Self-employed researchers usually work remotely, but can come onsite when required.

They are independent contractors who are not paid overtime or benefits, and have the lowest markup. They prefer the freedom of working remotely.

When Researchers get what they want, you get excellent work!

We understand UX researchers. They enjoy working with well-known brands, popular products, new innovations, or projects that promote social good. Many prefer longer-term contracts that allow them to dig deeper and do their best work. They appreciate the flexibility to work offsite when possible. For some, the security of W-2 employment and benefits are important.

We’ve built a platform that delivers what researchers want. When their expertise is understood and well-matched to good research projects, and when they are offered flexibility and are treated fairly, they do their best work. By designing our platform to meet their needs, we’re ensuring your needs are met with the highest quality research.

We offer UX researchers of all skill levels at a low markup and enable you to hire remotely for onsite or offsite work.

Expensive and Outdated.

Traditional staffing agencies suddenly seem antiquated. Their model of face-to-face meetings with staff in physical offices in dozens of cities is expensive, and those costs are passed on to you. Additionally, they rely upon talent in the local market and may not have access to experts in tech hubs around the country.

ux.work gives you access to expert researchers from all over the U.S. and Canada.

Top talent is not drawn to low-level piecemeal work.

Freelancer marketplaces have cropped up to help employers find talent quickly, remotely, and at low cost. For small, fixed-bid projects like a logo or brochure, these seem to fill the need. However, these marketplaces fall short when the need is critical such as researching a new product before release, because top talent is not drawn to low-level piecemeal work. Additionally, it is very time consuming to sift through applicants from all over the world and frustrating to try to find a match without knowing them.

ux.work knows our researchers and finds the best match for you.

by Raymond Lee, Founder

Researchers Featured Image

Researchers

The Guild's Goal for 2025 is to Increase our Impact

The Guild is a community of over 5,000 researchers, consultants, and strategists that helps its members learn new skills, network, and advance their careers. To that end, in 2024, we hosted 21 events with 4,859 registered guests, sent 36,689 newsletters with an average open rate of 45%, organized job search councils for those seeking work, and conducted pro bono research. What a year we had!

 

How could we possibly increase our impact in 2025? In partnership with others: other associations, organizations, and additional members. We embrace the community philosophy that we are stronger together. Thus, you will see the Guild invite other groups to join our events and invite our members to attend theirs. We will invite corporate sponsors to join us and share their expertise. We will continue to invite researchers to join with us to benefit from our strengths and add theirs. We welcome you to join us for an even more exciting and impactful 2025.

Get Involved with the Guild

Join Us – You will be stronger with us, and we will be stronger with you. We offer education, connection, support, and opportunities to do good. If you’re ready to get involved, join our community with the link below, otherwise, feel free to attend events (Lu.ma/UXr) to learn and engage.

Job Search Councils – The Guild is organizing job search councils for those who want support in their job search and career. We are following the principles and plan in Never Search Alone by Phyl Terry.

For Good Initiative – The Guild is organizing volunteer research opportunities for small teams of researchers and leaders. Our expertise can bring much-needed direction to start-ups, non-profits, and other promising organizations.

Guild Ambassadors – The Guild is looking for companies to hire our researchers and we would appreciate your help. Ambassadors introduce the Guild to hiring managers in their networks, and are paid a percentage of the revenue they generate.

Social Media Volunteers – The Guild needs volunteers to help us spread the word about our programs and events. If you are willing to “like, comment, and share” Guild posts or contribute in other ways, we welcome your involvement.

Use the Get Involved button to join a job search council, volunteer to research, be a Guild Ambassador or social media volunteer, and join our community.

Education – The Guild provides regular opportunities for learning with and from other researchers. Attend one of our Guild Groups to learn and discuss current issues with researchers and experts from around the country. It is a fun way to stay current with the topics of interest to you.

Research Contracts– We place contract researchers with companies that utilize the Guild for placement services. At this point in time, we have more researchers than work opportunities, but you are still welcome to apply. Applicants must live and be authorized to work in the U.S. or Canada and have a minimum of three years of UX research work experience.

Engagement – The Guild is a place to connect with other researchers in Guild Groups over Zoom, in building your LinkedIn network, in a job search council, or in collaborating to conduct voluntary research. Follow the Guild on LinkedIn.

by Raymond Lee, Founder

Blog

Nothing found.

by Raymond Lee, Founder

About

The UX Researchers’ Guild is a community for UX researchers, consultants, and strategists. We’re gathering the best independent consultants from across the U.S. and Canada and making it easier for managers to find the right fit and hire expeditiously. Meet some of the impassioned team that is working to establish the Guild as the premier source of UX research expertise.

Board of Directors

Danielle Green

Salt Lake City, Utah

Danielle Green is President and Co-founder of the UX Researchers’ Guild. She has worked in UX research and product strategy for a decade in domains such as educational technology, hardware, SaaS, B2B, e-commerce, and gaming. She is also a professor and the Director of the Applied Cognitive Psychology: User Experience master’s program at Claremont Graduate University.

Michele L. Oliver, Ph.D.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Michele has a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology with an emphasis on Psychophysiology, Statistics, and Research Methods and has been a Senior Lecturer and Adjunct Faculty member. She is currently Principal UX Researcher at Ellucian, a provider of SAAS solutions for higher education. She is a passionate problem-solver and advocate for optimal user experiences.

Lija Hogan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Lija has specialized in usability and user needs research, design, and building UX teams. She teaches qualitative and quantitative UX research methods courses at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, on Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning. Lija’s current focus is inclusive research practice, as a Principal Customer Experience Consultant at UserTesting.

Helen Lee Lin

Seattle, Washington

Helen Lee Lin is an internationally-minded UX researcher who leads research across the entire product lifecycle but is especially passionate about the 0-1 product space. Her past projects at Meta, TikTok, and Hack for LA inform her love of building communities and connecting people. She also offered her talents to the UX Researchers’ Guild with her successful series, “Farewell Academia; Hello UXr.”

Sabina Alteras-Honig

Seattle, Washington

Sabina brings three decades in UX Research to the Guild, including lead roles at Dell, Amazon, Qualtrics, and Microsoft. As a Ph.D. in I/O Psychology and Human Factors, she has lectured for the University of Washington Human Centered Design Engineering graduate program, and integrates psychological principles into her practical research methods.

Jess Vice

Lynchburg, Virginia

Jess Vice is a UX researcher and strategist with nearly two decades’ experience in marketing, tech, and brand development. They have worked behind-the-scenes on legacy software systems and in the spotlight on rebrands and pivot strategies. In summer 2024, they helped launch the For Good Initiative with the UXr Guild.

Tracy Hayes

San Francisco, California

Tracy has a B.A. from Carnegie Mellon and worked for nine years at Human Factors International. She has been a senior UX leader at eBay, Sears, Ipsos, and Google. She is currently an independent UX consultant, career coach, and leader of the Guild’s job search council initiative.

Christie McAllister

San Francisco, California

Christie is a strategic research leader with SaaS and AI experience. She is the ex-Research Director at Autodesk, responsible for global digital properties, including licensing portals and e-commerce sites, and for driving digital and CX strategy through research insights.

Raymond Lee

Provo, Utah

Raymond is a Co-founder of the UX Researchers’ Guild. His passion is connecting talent with opportunity, which he has fulfilled by starting agencies in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and now the Guild. He has a BS in Computer Science from UC Irvine and an MBA from UCLA.

The UXr Guild

For research managers, we make it easier to identify and engage the best independent UX research consultants for your projects. By creating a single source of freelance research expertise, you no longer need to search, screen, and interview numerous candidates for a single project. We’ve done that work for you so that you can select an expert and start immediately.

For those working as independent research consultants, the UX Researchers’ Guild offers community, learning, and support, to counter the inherent isolation of independence. We offer Guild Groups for researchers to meet, interact, and learn from each other. The Guild also makes it easier to work as an independent consultant by expanding work opportunities and eliminating some of the marketing and administrative work associated with self-employment. The Guild is a for-profit funded by clients who engage independent researchers and research services from the Guild.

by Raymond Lee, Founder