Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Methodologies: Beyond the interview [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
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
-
•
Interviews remain central but should be complemented with other methods for richer insights.
-
•
Quantitative techniques like conjoint analysis reveal patterns that interviews alone may miss.
-
•
Transitioning from structured experiments to interviews often feels uncomfortable but offers new exploration modes.
-
•
Observational methods such as contextual inquiry uncover users' tacit behaviors and workarounds.
-
•
Participant comfort and rapport especially matter when dealing with sensitive or high-stakes topics.
-
•
Mixed methods research benefits from collaboration across different roles, including data analysts and community organizations.
-
•
Researchers should be pragmatic about time and resources and pick methods fit for purpose and confidence needs.
-
•
Interviews are often misused as an easy default instead of creatively finding better alternatives.
-
•
Decentering the researcher and involving community partners leads to more inclusive and authentic data.
-
•
Researchers must check their own unconscious biases to avoid misinterpreting participant responses.
Notable Quotes
"User interviews are an absolute mainstay of user research practices and likely will always be a core tool."
"Some people lie; that’s why we need to triangulate methods to approach reality."
"Interviews can be a crutch that keeps us from using better ways to answer our questions."
"Allow space for participants to demonstrate expertise before digging deeper in interviews."
"It’s important to put the participant at ease and not add to their cognitive burden."
"People generally want to help and tell what they genuinely believe; they’re just terrible at accurate recall."
"Creativity is needed right from the research stage, not just in solution design."
"The purpose of research is paramount; it guides the choice of methods and how rigorously to apply them."
"If you don’t have researchers to shadow, lean on communities, data scientists, or industry organizations."
"Asking for help and humbling yourself is one of the most powerful ways to grow as a researcher."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Most people don’t come to work to make their own life harder or work on a bad product."
Marc Rettig Julie Baher Phil Gilbert Nathan ShedroffDiscussion
May 14, 2015
"With great power comes great responsibility — that's our foundational context in exploring AI and ML."
Husani OakleyTheme Three Intro
June 6, 2023
"User testing for AI still means watching people use it, plus collecting analytics and running evaluations."
Peter Van DijckDesigning AI-first products on top of a rapidly evolving technology
June 10, 2025
"A workshop helps people map their skills, identify gaps, and make specific goals for career jumps."
Ian SwinsonDesigning and Driving UX Careers
June 8, 2016
"We encourage one-to-one video calls to build rapport and feel comfortable reaching out for advice."
Marc Fonteijn Ru ButlerIncrease your confidence, influence, and impact (through a Professional Community)
December 3, 2024
"Our team Ops Charter is about amplifying and celebrating the work and impact of design and design Ops."
Rachel Posman John CalhounA Closer Look at Team Ops and Product Ops (Two Sides of the DesignOps Coin)
November 19, 2020
"Silence is complicity. Inaction is support."
Denise Jacobs Nancy Douyon Renee Reid Lisa WelchmanInteractive Keynote: Social Change by Design
January 8, 2024
"Video newsletters sharing real user stories create empathy and engagement far beyond numbers and reports."
Megan Blocker Marieke McCloskey Renee ReidPositioning insight: Structuring teams, roles and careers for a changing research landscape
March 13, 2025
"Your agency is the thing that can’t be taken away from you. It’s your means to navigate this moment and keep your sanity."
James LangHopeful Futures for UX Research
January 30, 2026