Um...is this being recorded? 5 Design Research pitfalls to avoid
1. Forgetting to ask for permission
Always ask for permission before recording research sessions.
Sometimes people don't want their likeness captured in video or audio format. Automatically recording at the start of a call without verbal consent can erode trust immediately and make participants uneasy. This can negatively impact the integrity of data, potentially harm the participant, and may reduce how much is shared honestly.
How to mitigate
• Ask if you have permission to audio and/or video record the session, and to take notes. If you don’t hear a yes or no verbally or written, politely ask for a verbal and/or written response. It’s important to get a verbal or written response to this question instead of just a head nod or ‘mhm’.• Inform the participant of how you’ll use the video.
• There are a few tools that might be set up to record automatically, check to make sure that setting is turned off and you have no note taking tools that open on start without receiving consent.
2. Not pausing for awkward silences
Minimize interruptions, particularly if they were in a line of thought or openly sharing.
It can be difficult to read social cues virtually, but it's important to stay muted or silent when a participant is sharing. Practice active listening and focus intently on what they're sharing instead of thinking about the next question. Sometimes, participants mention key points that will make you want to go off script. You might miss them if you're not listening closely!
How to mitigate
• Give people time before you start talking again. Sometimes participants pause — it might feel longer than usual — but then they'll continue their thought.• Remember that you can learn the most from research sessions when you’re being silent, awkward silences in research are good.
3. Inviting too many people
Having too many people in the room, virtually or in person, can make the participant feel intimidated, or like the subject of the research, instead of being a participant and on equal balanced with the researcher.
How to mitigate
• If multiple people will be present (like a note taker and the primary researcher), introduce everyone on camera at the beginning. Then have the note taker or secondary observer go off camera to make the conversation feel more 1:1 rather than an 'all eyes on me' situation.
• Sometimes you need more than one additional person on the call, such as a group of PMs or an external client. This is where tools with private observation room capabilities come in use, allowing for extra observers to be hidden from the participant (like webinar mode on Zoom).
• When using this observation room, it’s still important to share transparently with the participant that there are other people observing/listening in that they can’t see.
• Participants should be informed before the session that there may be other people observing — informing people early and often allows for questions and clarity.
4. Skipping intros
Don't begin research sessions by jumping straight into questions.
This can be jarring and doesn't give the participant space to ask questions, hear about what to expect, or allow you to obtain consent for any recordings.
How to mitigate
• Always begin with an introduction of yourself or anyone else on the call, and go over the brief again in person with the participant, giving space for questions. • The introduction is a critical part of any research session, even though the participant received and/or signed the brief or informed consent before starting, it’s good to have a refresher to maintain integrity of ethics and session data.
5. Not following up
What happens after the session is just as important as what happens before.
Not following up with participants after research may make people feel used or undervalued. This has the potential to cause harm and could erode trust in the organization or individual. This is particularly true if the research brief/informed consent indicated a follow-up email with an incentive or next steps, or if that was discussed during the session.
How to mitigate
• Send a follow-up email within 24 to 48 hours to thank participants again, share how their feedback will be used, and ask if they might want to participate in future research (if needed for building a participant list). During this follow-up, share the incentive or any next steps.
• Once the project is wrapped, you can follow up again with participants who expressed interest in hearing back. Note that not all participants may be interested in learning about the final outcome, so make sure to ask if they want to stay in touch about updates.