97 Things Every UX Practitioner Should Know

Chapter 69. Get Past Fear with Users and Design Teams

Julia Choi

Actionable research insights are “design gold” and require working through participant and peer emotions. Fear is a particularly strong human emotion and can put roadblocks between you and others. Here are some tips on preventing fear from derailing effective research.

First, you should know what fear is, when it’s a problem, and why it matters in UX research. Fear can help reinforce learning (touching a hot stove, for example), but an unhealthy state of fear can short-circuit uncovered research insights. It can also distract team stakeholders, especially those overextended with unrealistic timelines.

Here are some ways to help study participants move past fear:

• Plan well and stay flexible: Avoid rushing through difficult experiences; these require vulnerability and time to think through. If in a group setting, provide an option for participants to share their input privately (for example, via electronic survey). Adapt the session format, including breaks, to help put them at ease. For example, if a person seems uncomfortable with a camera trained on them, stand where their eyes avoid the lens, and be open to turning the camera off.

• Listen, advocate, and cast off judgment: Make study intentions and goals clear at the start of your interaction to help them better understand how to help you. Clarify expectations with ...