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Summary
Researchers are being asked to help address challenges that are increasingly complex, strategic, and high-stakes. Our toolkit of methods needs to keep up with those challenges, as does our confidence and comfort with choosing, using, and combining those methods. Our Methods panelists will describe some of the exciting techniques they’re applying in their work, and discuss how they’ve overcome barriers to enriching their UXR toolkits. Attend all of our Advancing Research community workshops Each free virtual workshop is made up of panelists who will share short provocations on engaging ideas to discuss as a group, as well as a leader in our field to moderate. If you're looking for discussions that challenge the status quo and can truly advance research, look no further than our workshop series. (P.S. We’ll be drawing most of our Advancing Research 2025 conference speakers from those who present at upcoming workshops—so tune in for a sneak peek of what's to come from #AR2025!) July 24, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 1: Democratization Working with it, not against August 7, 11am-12pm EDT Watch Video Theme 2: Collaboration Learning from market research, data science, customer experience, and more August 21, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 3: Communication Innovative techniques for making your voice heard September 18, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 5: Artificial Intelligence Passionate defenses, reasoned critiques, and practical application October 2, 11am-12pm EDT Watch Video Theme 6: Junctures for UXR Possible futures and the critical decisions to move us forward October 16, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 7: Open Call Propose ideas that don’t match our other workshops’ themes
Key Insights
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Mixed methods research—combining qualitative and quantitative approaches—deepens understanding beyond what interviews alone can offer.
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Participant comfort and rapport are crucial to mitigating unconscious bias and eliciting authentic responses in any research method.
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Quantitative techniques like conjoint analysis reveal statistically significant trade-offs and patterns that interviews cannot reliably capture.
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Observational methods such as contextual inquiry expose workarounds and behaviors users may be unaware of or unable to articulate.
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Stakeholder buy-in requires pragmatism and clear alignment of methods to research questions and participants’ needs.
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Researchers often lean on interviews as a 'crutch' despite better-suited alternatives existing for certain questions.
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Shadowing and learning from colleagues across disciplines, including data analysts and scientists, enriches research skills.
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Community-based participatory research expands inclusivity and leverages insider knowledge to reach marginalized groups sensitively.
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Interview questions must derive from research questions creatively rather than directly asking for attitudes or solutions.
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The role and responsibility of the researcher includes managing participant burden, bias, and ensuring data validity based on impact level.
Notable Quotes
"User interviews are an absolute mainstay but it's important to be aware of the breadth of available methods."
"Some people lie, so mixing methods helps triangulate reality beyond what anyone says."
"Interviews are incredible for exploring unknown spaces but watching people at work reveals unseen opportunities."
"Setting participants at ease is essential to get to some of the truth."
"People are not there for us to extract from; they're often genuinely trying to help even if they don’t have all the answers."
"You don’t need to be an expert in every methodology but should know when to use them and find experts when needed."
"Community-based organizations can help researchers access deep contextual knowledge that outsiders would never have."
"Interviews alone are not a matter of angel or devil—they are useful if used responsibly and creatively."
"The biggest mistake beginners make is confusing research questions with direct interview questions."
"If interviews didn’t exist, our richness of insights would remain strong by pivoting to alternative research methods."
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