Social causes and researcher’s emotions
Emotional red flags while conducting user research in the social sector
Design for social innovation is growing incredibly. Design practitioners are exploring the unknowns of society and trying to solve social problems. This also means that the research requires the same rigor that we have for businesses and technology. The user experience research in the social sector is a different ball game altogether for design practitioners. It is definitely an enriching experience but equally challenging at the same time. There are fair chances that it may affect us emotionally and it may, in turn, affect our inquiry into the problem. Let us look at the possible red flags in the user research that may stir our emotions and bring biases to our inquiry.
1. Cultural practices
Research in the social sector opens up many gateways to explore different cultures. Every time there’s something new and fresh about the culture that looks captivating. It looks fascinating as an outsider but it holds a higher value in people’s lives. This is the time we need to take a moment and realign our priorities. The outsider perspective is great, but we also need to let go of the awe that just captured us. The cultural practices and stories are one of the many milestones in the research that engages us emotionally and it may affect the way we perceive information later in our research.
2. Personal stories
My favorite part of user research is listening to the untouched and unheard stories of people. At times, when the participants come from a disadvantaged (Pardon my limited vocabulary) background, It is overwhelming to listen to all the stories as an outsider. The “pain points” are not just the slight inconvenience but a matter of everyday struggle for a better life. Such instances are so emotionally moving that it becomes difficult to observe everything with a neutral lens. This is the time for us to recalibrate ourselves and come back to the research zone. Everyone has different ways of handling such situations. I usually put down my research cap and get involved in the story completely. Later I try to recollect my observations, findings when I am alone.
3. Social norms
We get access to a particular social setting to understand it better and get rich insights. The community functions in a certain way that is new to us. The more we engage with the participants and their surroundings, the more we come to know their norms and practices as a society. It may or may not align with our individual values but this is a way of life for them. It is crucial at this point to not get emotionally affected by the social setting around us. Society is built on years of beliefs and practices. Whenever there is a story involving peculiar norms and social behavior
4. Family dynamics
The ethnographic research is the key to the life experiences of the participants. Their beliefs, dreams, relationships, etc. begin to unfold as the research proceeds. The family dynamics in some cases are beyond our definition of “normal”. This is a critical point for us to reconsider the scenario with a neutral lens. It is a moment of realization that each family functions in a different way and their relationship with each other may affect our line of observations. Family holds a million emotions together and complex layers of relationships. Whenever there is an involvement of family and its dynamics, take it as a cue to keep your emotions unaffected by the situation.
5. Avoid privilege-pity loop
The deep exposure to the lives of people shows their struggles and challenges. Research in the social sector is a gateway to look at life in an underprivileged (Apologies for the lack of a better word) context. It immediately creates a contrast between ‘us’ and ‘them’. While it is almost unavoidable to make a comparison, the least we can do is to acknowledge the differences and then take a neutral ground for observation. Empathy is great but the comparison between the lifestyle would not lead to a fruitful direction.
Self-awareness is one of the best traits to have during the research. A mental note of the above-mentioned points will keep the research focus intact. It is an overwhelming domain to work. Design can do wonders to bring social impact but social problems demand rigor and resilience as design practitioners.
