Summary
The speaker recounts their first project as lead researcher and designer for an internal IT group, accompanied by an apprentice named Laura. Tasked with improving internal software, they faced tight deadlines and unpredictable fieldwork. Meeting Carol, a key user with critical feedback, unexpectedly shifted the session away from planned questions when Carol introduced 'flat Carol,' a life-size cardboard cutout of herself used humorously around the office. Rather than forcing the agenda, the speaker chose to embrace the unplanned, focusing on presence and listening deeply. This approach facilitated rich insights and teaching moments for Laura about handling surprises in research. The talk highlights the value of flexibility, rapport building, and embracing unexpected moments to uncover deeper user needs.
Key Insights
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User research often uncovers surprising and unplanned elements that challenge preconceived agendas.
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Building rapport by being present and open can reveal deeper user stories beyond formal software feedback.
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Apprentices in field research benefit from witnessing real-time adaptation to unexpected situations.
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A user’s personal artifacts or rituals, like Carol's 'flat Carol,' can provide valuable cultural context.
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Tight deadlines in research require balancing planned deliverables with responsiveness to emergent insights.
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Critical or unfiltered user feedback, like Carol's, can indicate important pain points or cultural factors.
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Observing both verbal and non-verbal cues helps researchers gauge how to steer field conversations.
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Mentorship in research includes modeling flexibility and emotional resilience.
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Embracing unexpected moments can transform research from transactional data collection to meaningful dialogue.
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User experience research is as much about human connection as it is about technical problem solving.
Notable Quotes
"I know who you are and I have opinions."
"I’m going to need to bring my A game."
"I hadn’t realized that we were both going to need that advice."
"Flat Carol was a nearly life-size cardboard cutout of Carol."
"I put down my question guide and just talked with Carol."
"Do I find a way to make this conversation more about the software as scheduled or do I show Laura how to react to the unplanned?"
"Research is about being ready for anything, even what you didn’t imagine."
"Carol was really grateful for our conversation."
"Laura let out a sigh of relief and said, I don’t think I could ever recover the way that you did."
"We all walked away better for it."
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