If you could sit down with your younger UX self, what would you tell them?
Most UX careers don’t follow a straight line. Priorities shift. Expectations change. New technologies reshape how we work—and how we define success. Yet we rarely step back to reflect on how our careers have actually evolved, or to learn from others who are navigating similar questions.
I’m Leslie Waugh, a UX leader focused on leading design and research teams. I created this survey to capture how UX practitioners—across design, research, and leadership roles—experience career growth over time.
All responses are anonymous and will be analyzed only in aggregate. At the end of the survey, you’ll have the option to voluntarily provide contact information if you’re interested in a follow-up discussion—but this is completely optional.
The goal is to surface shared patterns: what people wish they’d known earlier, what changed along the way, and what truly matters now. Once we reach sufficient participation, synthesized insights will be shared back with the UX community.
Whether you’re early in your career or many years in, your perspective matters.
Thank you for taking the time to contribute.