What Does it Mean to be a Resilient Research Team?
Summary
This isn't about predicting the future, it is about preparing for it. As a researcher and a research team we are our own best asset. This isn't about patting ourselves on the back, but recognising that regardless of the context or tools involved in the future we are people-first not technology-first. It is also about addressing the impact the role can have on our own well-being and how to manage the difficult days.
This session outlines some of techniques and approaches we have used as a team to better support each other in challenges, and how this has help made us more resilient, responsive and overall, better user researchers.
Key Insights
-
•
Resilience is not just an individual trait but shaped significantly by nurture, including organizational support and team culture.
-
•
User research with vulnerable populations demands high emotional bandwidth, requiring special care for researchers as well as participants.
-
•
Implementing an 'explanation not needed' approach for opting out of projects empowers researchers to avoid triggers without stigma.
-
•
Mental health first aiders within teams provide immediate peer support but take on additional emotional burdens themselves.
-
•
Specialist training in trauma-informed research and crisis response improves team preparedness and protects both participants and researchers.
-
•
A close-knit team culture offers essential peer support but risks overburdening certain individuals if not carefully managed.
-
•
Clear, transparent communication channels—both open and anonymous—are critical for researchers to safely raise concerns without fear of burdening others.
-
•
Organizational processes should include project decompression windows to allow researchers to recharge between emotionally demanding projects.
-
•
Sustainability requires respecting individual work patterns and autonomy, allowing flexible schedules and respecting boundaries.
-
•
Leadership must actively limit excessive workloads and set realistic expectations, recognizing that 'good enough' can be acceptable to prevent burnout.
Notable Quotes
"Even though we’re user researchers, we’re not looking at digital products — our users often include people suffering homelessness, addiction, or trauma."
"Empathy is our greatest asset but it takes up a lot of emotional bandwidth that we must consciously manage."
"It’s not on researchers to simply be resilient — systems and structures need to adapt and support them."
"We introduced an 'explanation not needed' approach so researchers can decline projects without having to justify themselves."
"Mental health first aiders take on responsibility beyond their role, so we must consider how this affects them."
"Close-knit teams are valuable but can hide unfair emotional labor burdens, especially along gender or racial lines."
"We must keep communication channels open and multiple — including anonymous ones — so people feel safe to speak up."
"Sometimes good enough is good enough — we can’t always give 110% without risking sustainability."
"It’s critical to create space between projects so teams can decompress; jumping from one trauma-heavy project to another isn’t sustainable."
"Researchers are professionals; we need to set clear expectations but then trust them to do their jobs effectively."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Maybe the ambiguity and frequent changes in SAFe could actually be an opportunity, not just a headache."
Erin HauberDesign is Not the Frosting on the Scaled Agile Layer Cake
October 24, 2019
"Supporting authenticity in the workplace lets people be themselves, which naturally boosts confidence."
Megan KiersteadYou Are a Badass at UX: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
March 10, 2021
"We had to show rather than say why design operations roles existed."
Maggie DieringerCreating Consistency Through Constant Change
January 8, 2024
"Maps stop you from getting lost in legacy complexity and keep everyone aligned on what’s important."
Meaghan Waters Fotina KoutropoulousLack of Product Thinking will Doom Your Legacy Modernization
June 9, 2021
"Brand is not just what you say, it’s what you do — your product and design live and breathe the brand."
Jemma AhmedBringing together market and user research
October 17, 2019
"Most of institutional knowledge is tacit, meaning it’s understood or implied without being stated."
Maria TaylorKnowledge is Power: Managing the Lifeblood of the Design Org
October 3, 2023
"No one uses the screen reader with out-of-the-box settings; users customize it to fit their needs."
Sam ProulxUnderstanding Screen Readers on Mobile: How And Why to Learn from Native Users
June 6, 2023
"We created a decision tree to help junior staff decide which stakeholder requests to triage and which to respond to directly."
Catherine BlizzardUsing Integrated Insight to Drive Growth
March 10, 2022
"Do I find a way to make this conversation more about the software as scheduled or do I show Laura how to react to the unplanned?"
Randolph Duke IIWar Stories LIVE! Randy Duke II
March 30, 2020
