Jacob Berman
UX Researcher, Offerings, Oakland
Share a ride with Jacob
What makes Lyft Design so special? Hands down, it’s our people. We’re a team of passionate, talented, empathetic folks committed to making a positive impact.
Spend some time with Jacob, one of our UX Researchers based in California
What do you love most about being a UX researcher?
I love getting the chance to dive deep into questions and problem spaces that I wouldn’t typically consider. As a UX researcher I get to spend my days learning about people and get the chance to advocate for them when building products, and I think that’s really special.
What’s been your favorite project at Lyft?
On the Lyft Business team we worked on products like Concierge which enables organizations to request Lyft rides on behalf of their patients, employees, customers, or whoever. It can be difficult to wrap your head around all the different use cases and contexts in which our users work. That’s why my favorite project has been getting a chance to lead a team on a mini-contextual inquiry at a customer site. Getting the opportunity to spend the day with users, shadowing them as they went about their work and used our products was a really fun and valuable learning experience.
“I’m always inspired by people who have not only designed for communities, but involved them in the process.”
— Jacob Berman, UX Researcher
What inspires you?
I’m always inspired by people who have not only designed for communities, but involved them in the process. For example, I only recently found out about the work of architect Diébédo Francis Kéré and I have been captivated by it since!
Any advice on how to get started in UX research?
One thing I love about UX research is that there are so many different paths to the role. I came from a mechanical engineering background and went back to grad school to transition into UXR, but there are so many other ways people get to UXR, like research associate programs, certifications, freelancing, or networking to name a few. Before transitioning into UX research my advice is to first take stock of the research skills and experience you already have and then determine which path will be the most direct route to the role. Finally, I definitely recommend joining design/UXR communities either online or in your local area!
If you could take a Lyft ride with anyone, who would it be?
Charles Barkley. Don’t have any deep answer here, just feel like it would be a hilarious ride.
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