No handoffs. No layers. Just senior researchers.
Progress is a founder-led UX research consultancy based in Austin, Texas. Since 2006, we’ve helped startups, Fortune 500 companies, and public agencies better understand the people they serve—and make more confident product decisions.
We intentionally built a different kind of research consultancy. When you work with Progress, you work directly with the founders. The people who scope your project are the same people who design the research, conduct interviews, synthesize findings, and present recommendations. No handoffs. No junior research teams. Just experienced researchers invested in your success.
As a boutique consultancy, we move quickly and adapt as projects evolve. When a project requires additional capacity or specialized expertise, we expand through a trusted network of collaborators we’ve worked alongside for years.
Whether we’re evaluating enterprise software, exploring emerging AI experiences, improving accessibility, or helping public agencies better serve their communities, our approach remains the same: rigorous research, thoughtful collaboration, and practical insights that lead to better decisions.
Why clients choose Progress
Founder-led from beginning to end
Senior researchers on every project
Agile, responsive, and easy to work with
Over twenty years of experience across industries
Expertise in qualitative and mixed-methods research
Scalable through a trusted network of research partners when projects require additional capacity
Leadership
We are a HUB Certified consultancy, founded in 2006 by two UX research pioneers with a combined 40 years of industry experience.
Jon-Eric Steinbomer, Principal UX Researcher & Co-Founder
Jon-Eric Steinbomer has helped organizations make better decisions by developing a deeper understanding of the people they serve. As Co-Founder and Principal UX Researcher at Progress UX Research, he leads qualitative research that informs product strategy, service design, and innovation across AI, enterprise software, healthcare, transportation, civic technology, and consumer technology.
Jon-Eric has partnered with organizations including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Dell, Charles Schwab, Walmart, Nissan, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and numerous startups and public sector organizations. His work spans discovery research, usability testing, concept evaluation, and strategic research, helping teams reduce uncertainty and build products people genuinely value.
Over the course of his career, Jon-Eric has learned firsthand that the quality of insight depends on the quality of the conversation. His background in psychotherapy has further shaped how he approaches qualitative research, strengthening his ability to build trust, ask thoughtful questions, recognize patterns, and help people articulate experiences that are often difficult to describe. The result is research that helps organizations understand not only what people do, but why they do it.
In recent years, Jon-Eric has focused extensively on AI-powered products and emerging interaction models, helping organizations better understand trust, adoption, workflow integration, and the evolving relationship between people and intelligent systems.
In addition to leading client engagements, Jon-Eric is an author and educator who has taught UX Design Methods at General Assembly and served as an Adjunct Lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin. His work is grounded in a deep curiosity about human behavior and a commitment to helping organizations build products and services that create meaningful value for the people they serve.
Jessica Sears Steinbomer, Research Director & Co-Founder
Jessica Sears Steinbomer is Co-Founder and Research Director at Progress UX Research, where she helps organizations turn customer insights into better products, stronger teams, and more confident decisions. Jessica has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and public sector organizations to design and lead research initiatives that uncover meaningful customer needs and inform product strategy.
Jessica is particularly skilled at bringing people together around a shared understanding of research. Through thoughtful facilitation, collaborative workshops, and stakeholder engagement, she helps organizations align diverse perspectives, navigate complexity, and translate research into clear, actionable direction.
Her expertise spans discovery research, usability testing, strategic facilitation, journey mapping, design thinking, and organizational workshops. She is passionate about creating environments where people feel heard, ideas emerge naturally, and teams develop the confidence to make customer-centered decisions.
Jessica is also co-author of The Heart of UX, a framework that explores the integration of neuroscience, empathy, and human-centered design to strengthen research practice. She has taught UX research at The University of Texas at Austin and remains committed to mentoring the next generation of researchers and facilitators.
“We have had great success with Progress, you will learn a great deal and have fun at it too.”
“I enjoyed watching the remote sessions. A unique opportunity to watch our members interact with the products we’ve built. I really enjoyed working with everyone and I look forward to working with you guys again.”
Working at Progress
Positive. We work well together because we take time to connect and enjoy each other’s company. We especially like game nights, eating lunch together, and going to yoga.
Exciting. We work with some incredible clients and sometimes get sneak peaks of products before they are released to the public. Each project comes with new challenges and new connections to be made.
Dynamic. We take on many roles. Sometimes we are project managers, sometimes researchers, sometimes video editors. Always, we are learning.
Healthy. We take breaks to stretch, run up and down the stairs, bounce on yoga balls, and take walks in the sunshine. We support each other in balancing work with life.
Impactful. In our small team, each member makes a huge difference. We pursue our individual interests in new clients, new methods, new ideas--anything large or small--and discuss it with the group. Each member helps co-create the company’s future.
Join Our Team!
If you are interested in working at Progress, please reach out to us at business@experienceprogress.com with any questions or to submit your cover letter and resume.
To learn more or to discuss your research project needs - please get in touch!