Key Insights

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  The biggest change in UX research is the erosion of traditional expert authority, shifting power toward participants.

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  Participant autonomy is critical—researchers must build spaces where participants feel seen, heard, and equal.

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  Trauma-informed research practices are essential even in commercial UX to avoid re-traumatizing users.

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  Research problem framing must come from the lived experience of participants, not preconceived assumptions.

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  Power in research should be reframed as a possibility to share resources and co-create with participants.

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  Compensation for participants should be seen as reciprocal exchanges beyond just monetary rewards.

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  Local government research benefits from co-design processes that respect diverse educational backgrounds and encourage reflection.

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  Researchers are closer to organizational power but often experience emotional tension and lack long-term decision-making authority.

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  Scheduling research activities during traditional business hours reinforces power imbalances and excludes frontline workers.

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  Sustaining research impact requires preparing community members as co-facilitators and ongoing knowledge transfer.

Notable Quotes