> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.thinkinglikeyouruser.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.thinkinglikeyouruser.com/support-yourself.md). # Support yourself ## Remember that you're not alone While it may feel like you're the only person who cares about usability in your group, you are not alone. Other people, both at your organization and in the wider community, have your same interests and concerns. Finding, creating, or joining these communities will help you to feel less isolated and to grow your skills. Crucially, these people can also help you with many of the methods mentioned in Thinking Like Your User, such as brainstorming designs. The UX community is welcoming, with many folks outside your organization would be happy to work with you and provide feedback. ### Find like-minded folks at your organization There are other folks in your group or adjacent to your group who are also interested in UX. If you start talking about UX, either online, such as in the #random channel on your organization's Slack, or in person, such as over lunch, you will find like-minded folks. ### Join online professional communities It can be fruitful to connect with the wider community of folks interested in UX in the scientific software space. There is a [UX group at US-RSE](https://us-rse.org/wg/ux/) and there are similar groups in other communities. If you don't see a UX group in your favorite community, start one (see below). In addition to UX communities focused on scientific software, there are many wider UX communities online such as on LinkedIn, Slack, Discord, Reddit, Meetup, and many more. While these communities will be mostly folks working outside scientific software, they are still great places to learn and get feedback. ### Start a group Starting a group is a great way to find other folks who are interested in UX or usability either within your organization or in a wider community. Advertise widely that you're interested in forming the group and set an initial meeting date and time. Decide at the first meeting on your goals (Share useful resources? Read a UX book together? Report out new things you're trying?) and organize the next meetings. ## Learn more Your organization likely has free or cheap access to many educational resources, ranging from classes at a university to MOOCs such as those at Khan academy or Coursera or LinkedIn Learning. Check to see if any of these have courses on UX or related fields that look interesting to you. Keep in mind that there are many variations on the field of UX, each with a slightly different emphasis, including User-Centered Design (UCD), Interaction Design (IxD), and Service Design. In addition to these more formal educational resources, there are many online resources out there for UX in general and even some that are specifically for scientific software. [Here is a list of ones the US-RSE UX working group has gathered.](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MvmpHb6rdTmOAIhJMSupItJAbVWGr3FeObkWUqETV54/edit?tab=t.0) ## Document your work It is useful to document your UX work, not only to show to your manager or PI but also to see your own growth and where there is opportunity for improvement. [Making mini case studies](/bringing-ux-to-your-organization.md#mini-case-studies) is a great way to start documenting your work. ## Get outside help It is possible that your organization already has access to UX or UX-adjacent services. Not only for branding but also other departments within your larger organization. Many universities have a digital design or information services or similar department. Reaching out to professors in these departments can bring about a fruitful collaboration where they advance their research while providing you with UX services. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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