Bridging the Gap: Exploring Barriers and Opportunities of Collaboration in User Experience Partnerships between Nonprofits and (Technical and Professional Communication) Academics

User experience (UX) is of interest to nonprofits and academics, as these groups may partner to increase students’ UX skill sets while serving local community needs (Lauer & Brumberger, 2016). Focus groups explored perceived barriers and opportunities for UX collaborations between these participants. Findings reveal overlaps in nonprofit and academic values of social justice focused UX, urging them to seek partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Further, findings suggest that Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) faculty are uniquely positioned to assist nonprofits with their UX needs.