3 Golden rules to creating fun, engaging and genuine user centered research

We have noticed when planning and executing social and market research with teams that frequently most of the emphasis is placed on:

• Helping clients to determine what their research question/objectives should be;

• Working out the best methodologies and ensuing activities to then answer these questions and;

• Finding engaging and novel ways to present findings back to clients  and other stakeholders.

These are important elements in achieving good research outcomes. An equally important and sometimes overlooked element is the creation of an engaging and fun environment where the participant really is at the centre of the research.  While in theory this is often emphasised, for various reasons, it does not always translate into practice. For example, sometimes a stakeholder or senior manager may ask to sit in on a session and it is easy to get side tracked and focus on impressing that stakeholder or the new boss at the expense of fully engaging with the participants. The irony being that the quality of the research is compromised.

Below are 3 golden rules to genuinely facilitating engaging user research:

1. Value and Respect your participants as humans – show that you are listening

• We always ask participants to anonymously fill forms out evaluating our workshops before they leave. Responding to small requests goes a long way. For example, in a consultancy where we carried out focus groups and then a subsequent co-design workshop with the same group of young people, a participant asked for beanbags. She was delighted when she arrived to find the hall strewn with coloured beanbags exclaiming, “I asked for beanbags and you have got them”. There was a similar response at another workshop when a certain type of food (namely Pizza) was provided due to a request.  Although small, these touches demonstrate that participants are respected and are genuinely heard.

• While conducting an online diary study where participants were provided daily activities to complete, we ensured that we responded each day to what participants had written. A number of the participants remarked on how good it was to have someone respond, to know that their comments were being read and to feel listened to.

2. Be flexible and adaptable –if something is not working for a certain group; change it

• Not everyone is an artist – some people love completing creative activities and sketching their ideas, while for others it can be their worst nightmare.  It’s great to provide participants with a choice of how they respond to a task e.g. to write, to join in discussion, to sketch etc. while still giving clear instructions.

• UX can be very activity focused – don’t be scared to have discussion. Use activities in some cases as a stimulus for discussion not as the end point.

• Don’t be afraid to abandon an activity or go off script if you find that a method is not working.  Be flexible, have the ability to change, if an activity is not working for a certain group.

3. Make it fun. Yes, they are getting paid but it doesn’t mean that it should be a drag

You need to genuinely love people and the work that you do. Interacting with participants is often our favourite part of the project. Don’t assume that just because you are paying them that it is ok to give participants boring activities – you will lose their attention. Make the activities fun, be genuinely interested in what the participants have to tell you and view them as the experts.  Wherever possible, participants should also get something out of the research – whether it’s making connections with others, feeling heard or learning about a new product or idea which could help in their everyday lives.

We would love to hear what you think? Do you have any questions? Have you ever participated in research or facilitated it? What were your experiences? What worked and what didn’t?