What is a User Experience Researcher at Scopely?

The User Experience Researcher at Scopely plays a crucial role in understanding and enhancing the player experience across various mobile games. As a company that thrives on delivering compelling gaming experiences, your insights will directly influence product design and development. You will engage with players to gather qualitative and quantitative data, transforming this information into actionable guidance for design teams, product managers, and stakeholders. This role is fundamental in ensuring that player needs and preferences are at the forefront of the development process.

In this dynamic environment, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, product management, and engineering, to identify usability issues, test prototypes, and iterate on game features. The complexity and scale of Scopely's products provide a unique opportunity to impact millions of players, making this role not only challenging but also strategically significant. You can expect to work on innovative projects that shape the future of mobile gaming, utilizing advanced research methodologies to uncover insights that drive user-centered design.

Common Interview Questions

In preparing for your interviews, expect a blend of behavioral and technical questions tailored to assess your research expertise and collaborative skills. The following questions are representative of what you may encounter, drawn from 1point3acres.com; however, the actual questions can vary by team.

Research Methodologies

This category assesses your understanding of user research methods and your ability to apply them effectively.

• What research methodologies are you most familiar with, and how have you applied them in your previous roles?
• Describe a time when you had to choose between qualitative and quantitative research methods. What factors influenced your decision?
• How do you ensure that your research findings are actionable for the design and development teams?
• Can you discuss a challenging research project you worked on and how you overcame any obstacles?
• How do you prioritize research initiatives when there are multiple projects in the pipeline?

Collaboration and Communication

This category evaluates your teamwork and communication skills, essential for working in a cross-functional environment.

• Give an example of how you effectively communicated research findings to non-research stakeholders.
• Describe a situation where you had to advocate for user-centered design. What was the outcome?
• How do you handle disagreements with team members regarding research conclusions or design approaches?
• What strategies do you use to build relationships with product managers and designers?
• Can you share an experience where your collaboration led to a significant change in product design?

User-Centric Design Principles

This category focuses on your knowledge of user-centered design principles and how you incorporate them into your work.

• What do you believe are the key principles of user-centered design, and how do you apply them in your research?
• How do you gather user feedback during different stages of the product development cycle?
• Describe a time when user feedback led to a significant change in a project you were involved in.
• How do you ensure diversity in your research participants to gather a wide range of perspectives?
• What tools or methods do you use to keep user experience at the forefront of product development?

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

As you prepare for your interviews, focus on how you can effectively showcase your skills and experiences relevant to the User Experience Researcher role. Highlight your research methodologies, collaboration techniques, and understanding of user-centered design principles.

Role-related knowledge – You will need to demonstrate a strong grasp of various research methodologies, how to leverage data for actionable insights, and familiarity with tools used in user research. Interviewers will evaluate your ability to articulate your research process and the impact of your findings on product development.

Problem-solving ability – Expect to illustrate your approach to complex research challenges, showcasing how you structure your investigations and derive meaningful conclusions. Strong candidates will demonstrate a systematic approach to problem-solving and adaptability in their methodologies.

Culture fit / values – Scopely values collaboration and innovation. You should be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with the company culture, emphasizing your commitment to enhancing user experiences through teamwork and creativity.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Scopely for the User Experience Researcher role typically involves several stages, including an initial screening call followed by interviews with team members. You can expect a mix of behavioral questions, technical assessments, and discussions focused on your research portfolio. This process emphasizes collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a strong focus on user needs.

Candidates should be prepared for a rigorous evaluation, as interviewers will assess both your technical abilities and your alignment with company values. The overall experience is designed to gauge not only your skill set but also how well you can integrate into Scopely's innovative environment.

The visual timeline shows the progression of the interview stages, from initial screenings to final discussions. Use this to plan your preparation timeline, ensuring you allocate time to review your experiences and research methodologies for each stage. Remember, the process may vary slightly depending on the team, so stay flexible and adaptable.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Research Methodologies

This area matters because it reveals your depth of knowledge in user research and your ability to select appropriate methodologies for specific challenges. Interviewers will evaluate your experience in conducting various types of research, such as usability testing, surveys, and ethnographic studies.

• Qualitative Research – You may be asked how you conduct interviews or focus groups, including how you analyze and interpret the data collected.
• Quantitative Research – Expect to discuss your experience with statistical analysis, survey design, and how you integrate quantitative data into your findings.
• Mixed-Methods Approach – Be prepared to explain situations where you've combined both qualitative and quantitative research to enrich your insights.

Example questions:

• "How do you balance qualitative insights with quantitative data in your research?"
• "Can you provide an example of a mixed-methods study you conducted and the outcomes?"

Collaboration and Communication

This area is crucial as it assesses your interpersonal skills and your ability to work within diverse teams. Strong performance includes demonstrating effective communication and the ability to navigate conflicts constructively.

• Stakeholder Engagement – Discuss how you involve stakeholders throughout the research process, ensuring their needs are met.
• Presentation of Findings – Be ready to share your strategy for presenting research insights clearly and effectively to non-research teams.

Example questions:

• "Describe a situation where you had to convince a team to change their approach based on your research."
• "How do you tailor your communication style when presenting to different audiences?"