Interested in contributing to People Nerds?
We love spotlighting new perspectives on user experience! Here's what to know before you pitch an article or idea.
Our target audience
People Nerds is the content arm of dscout and a leading voice in the human-centered community with a loyal and diverse readership. We curate content for front-line practitioners as well as team builders and scalers in the fields of business and academics.In particular, that includes:
- UX researchers
- Designers
- Product folks
- Operations pros
- Data scientists
Our readers want to continually improve their practices and learn from other leaders in the industry.
What we don't want
Pre-written or cross-published articles
People Nerds publishes original content that isn't housed anywhere else online. We like to collaborate with our freelance contributors after accepting a pitch, so that the content is unique to our voice and audience.
Something we've already published before
We have a lot of content on our site! Double check that you're not pitching a piece that has already been written. The easiest way to do this is to Google "[pitch idea] + People Nerds" and look through the results. If an existing article could be updated or improved, please link to it in your submission (more on that below).
Basic introductory pieces
Most of our readers are past introductory concepts in UXR and design. For example, we’re not looking for pieces from UX researchers on what a diary study is. We're looking for more sophisticated pieces that would be considered 301 or 401 instead of 101. However, if you are in a unique role—such as an executive, engineer, or designer—your more introductory approach with UXR could be of interest (for example, "Here's how a data scientist conducts UX research").
What we do want
Content that is a mix of "theory and practice"—actionable and insightful—is always welcome. In particular, that may include:
- Sharing your specific industry experience that sheds light on a certain aspect of UXR
- Methodologies, how-to tips, and usable templates
- Case studies, unpacking how a specific research outcome was achieved
- Opinion pieces (if they have relevant research and unique take)
Here are examples of some of our favorite pieces:
- 8 Workshop Ideas to Activate Insights & Align Stakeholders
- How to Improve Existing UXR When You're Hired as the First Researcher
- What is the Best Way to Measure and Analyze Your Data? A Quick and Easy Guide
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Usability Testing [with Template]
- Level Up Your Usability Tests with SUS and SEQ
- The IMPACTS Framework: Activate Your Insights and Keep Your Research from Being Shelved
- 7 Pieces of Advice to Consider Before Running Sensitive Research
- On Learning Mindsets, Relationships & Ecosystems: A Conversational Essay
Still interested in contributing? Fill out the form here to get in touch with our editorial team.