Fast and Fearless Inclusive Research
Summary
Intentional user research often gets classified into two categories. One aims to recruit users based on specific, constraint, or viability-driven criteria, e.g., who is most likely to be an early adopter, most likely to engage, or most likely to find value. This type of research is often seen as “fast,” “focused,” and “targeted,” but may overlook meaningful nuance. The other focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), examining historical frameworks, and patterns of exclusion or injustice, and is viewed as “ethical,” “inclusive,” and “deep” but can also be cumbersome for teams under time or resource pressure.
However, fast and inclusive research are not mutually exclusive. Contrary to the popular belief that building DEI principles into user research slows us down or is just a “nice to have,” we propose instead, that it can accelerate insights by efficiently identifying the highest risk use cases and revealing beneficial design for all.
Key Insights
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Inclusive research is not inherently fast and must be approached with ethical caution and reflection on bias.
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Default assumptions in design often invisibly disadvantage marginalized groups, such as women or people of color.
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Highly educated professionals still revert to defaults under pressure, highlighting the persistence of bias.
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A frame is a cognitive structure that shapes what we see and how we interpret research, and underdeveloped frames lead to bias.
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Structured self-reflection on positionality, marginalization, and intersectionality is crucial before conducting research.
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Iterative framing and team reflection help identify which marginalized perspectives are missing and how to include them.
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Including diverse stakeholders early, especially at problem framing, improves research relevance and ethical representation.
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Designing for marginalized intersections often yields insights that improve experiences for the entire population.
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Industry pressure for speed and minimal resources often conflicts with intentional, inclusive research practices.
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Creating deliberate space for reflection, listening, and shifting power within teams fosters more inclusive outcomes.
Notable Quotes
"The title of the talk is a misnomer: this work isn't actually that fast and shouldn't be done without fear of consequences."
"The town of Carlsgo wasn't consciously disadvantaging women, they were just following a best practice that ignored different experiences."
"Women are 70% more likely to walk or use public transit, combining trips that are much harder with snow than driving a car."
"We design from our own lens and intentions but repeatedly create harmful consequences for marginalized groups."
"Highly trained professionals still default to a presumed 'standard' under pressure, revealing how bias persists."
"A frame is extremely hard to dislodge from our brains once triggered, so we have to build inclusive frames deliberately."
"You want to set a learning tone for your team and give space for emotional reactions and reflection."
"We need to reckon with how the lenses of the research team differ from those of the participants to avoid colonialist extraction."
"Findings from marginalized groups aren’t just relevant to them but often improve the experience for many more people."
"Frames are not static; they are tools for continuous discovery, reflection, and change."
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