The Kolesa Group conducted the first market research of CX/UX researchers in Kazakhstan. The results will help HR and analysts evaluate specialists more accurately, and help beginners build a career.

CX/UX researchers are at the intersection of analytics, psychology and design. Specialists "translate" user requests into the language of the product. Such work makes it easy and comfortable for the consumer to use complex technology. 

How much is their work appreciated? What are the prospects for researchers in Kazakhstan? The Kolesa Group collected the data and answered these questions.

Methodology

Quantitative research, data collection in a questionnaire service. Responses from respondents from professional communities were received. For the accuracy of the data, purification methods and metrics of the central trend were used

Portrait of a Kazakhstani CX/UX researcher

Age and gender: The profession is young, the majority of specialists are women (70%) aged 26-35 years.

Work experience: Every second specialist has up to two years of experience, which indicates the dynamic development of the market.

The main tasks are:

• Qualitative research (in–depth interviews, prototype testing) - 50%
• Quantitative research (online surveys, CATI) - 20%

Geography: 95% of specialists work in Almaty, 5% in Astana.

Career and salary

Researchers are in demand in fintech and IT product companies, to a lesser extent respondents are represented in startups and agencies.

The grading system in Kazakhstan is just being formed, but wages are already showing interesting patterns:

Income depending on the industry:

• Fintech and banks – ₸681,000
• Telecom – ₸561,000
• IT-product companies – ₸517 143

In addition to wages, respondents identify important non-material factors:

• Corporate culture – 15%
• Working in a strong team – 14%
• Remote format – 12%
• Learning opportunities – 9%

These preferences highlight the characteristics of a young and progressive audience

• The lack of a clear grading system.
• Workload: 64% of specialists work on 3-4 projects monthly.
• Irregular salary increases: 36% of respondents have not received a raise for more than a year.

The prospects

The demand for CX/UX researchers is growing. The bank is the main employer of the Kazakhstani CX/UX researcher today. However, the study showed that there are opportunities for specialists in startups and telecommunications.

For beginners: it is worth paying attention to the profession guide from the Kolesa Group, which contains recommendations on training, skills and career building.

Conclusions

CX/UX researchers are the voice of the user in IT. The study showed the active growth of the profession in trending areas, and its young representatives inspire ambition in the interests of choosing an employer. Now it is important for companies to develop grading systems and pay more attention to employee development.