What’s the pros and the cons to this next check?
From Hands off my Uterus! to ‘…Cant Touch This…’ : Remixing UXR for future UX Researchers, Designers and Strategists.
With the Roe v Wade leak igniting questions relating to user privacy and autonomy. Intersectional users are even more wary to engage. Which has me questioning what does the future of quantitative data collecting and analysis look like?
- How is this going to Affect |Effect trust and the desirability of my design systems ? and what is affected/effected?
- How do users FEEL about their perceived vs actual choice(s) on your platform? And what are they doing to make these decisions?
- What will motivate them and why?
Let the Games Begin
Monday May 1st Dr. Kenya Oduor and Reality Canty posted this amazing piece, highlighting the parallels found within Hip-Hop and UX. Found here
This left me so inspired as it related to an idea I had been workshopping, showcasing the importance of creative mixed method UXR and Researchers for DOAs and Web3 — To highlight the Artist to AI pipeline.
Starting at the “bottom” of the privilege hierarchy from both a personal and professional stance you quickly realized that; Quant is still king — and it’s giving Napoleon Complex. A system rooted in outdated methods directly linked to systems of exploitation, suppression and oppression. Which like Napoleons own fate, his top-down ego lead him to underestimate the ones whom he exploited— which was his downfall…The Tech industry is trending the same.
See how phenotypical demographics are still rooted in stereotypes, bias and cognitive dissonance.
Current UX Researchers similar to Art Historians — know that there is a wealth of qualitative knowledge backlogged. Just waiting for more diverse and specialized researchers to accurately quantify it. Something myself and other Black and POC Researchers have said; as a way to extract new and valuable quantitative metrics within the qualitative spaces of the mis-represented. The difference now is Web3.
This is a major reason why I am now so passionate about all forms of representation in research by highlighting the range of methods utilized in research and uncover new forms of inclusive analysis. My intention is to inspire and educate the future of citizen scientists from all intersectionalities.
UX Research ≠ Market Research
‘What’s the Pros and the Cons of this Next check?
Yes, user research is an extremely important team housed within marketing. However in terms of UXR needs required to succeed alongside Web3 — You’ll need a UXR team built out and housed within business strategy; specifically for the creator experience.
Throughout my 10+ years of conducting a range of end-to-end Arts & Artifact Academic Research; non-traditional qual to quant analysis is my specialization. Moreover as a ingroup member who also happens to be a professionally trained researcher, the way to uncover these kinds of rich and valuable insights is : To be the diversity that you want to see. Because culturally everytime I see one of these - I know there is a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answer depending on industry needs.
Utilizing research ideologies that live at intersection of Art & Design History and Natural and Applied Sciences mixed methodologies. I offer a remix of UXR thematic coding via the hip-hop music industry : Staring Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem.
‘What’s the pros and the cons of this next check?
A sentiment surrounding choice. In this case he is referring to a money check. However given the context, the question arises as apart of an internal conflict with having to make a choice not knowing how that choice will affect them later. Like the period tracker issue.
Wasn’t nobody ‘round, I was independent
In the 90s, sitting bum with the windows tinted’
To assume that just because users are on your platform, fully by there free will and choice is flawed. There is always a reason and 9 times out of 10, that rationel is outside of your market research scope — As it often undermines the product.
‘Heard a bum got a strap in the party
Who the fuck let this n- in the party?’
So what does industry do? Send plants? Collaborate with creators? These tactics may work for a number of reasons. However once a user group finds out they are being strategically targeted for exploitation, especially by someone/something not within that group, posing… as an ‘Op’…
‘Beat ’em up, beat ’em up, beat ’em up, beat ’em up (ah)’
You’ve exposed yourself, your team and company as someone they can’t and will not trust. These feelings are often disseminated culturally throughout IRL and URL ingroup communities. *cough* Black Twitter
Market Research ≠ Good UX
As highlighted in Tim Hwang’s Subprime Attention Crisis, released back in 2020. The famed technology policy researcher reminds us that at the end of the day :
‘Advertising funds the production of online content. In which he highlights that in 2017 advertising constituted for 87% of Google's total revenue and 98% of Facebooks.’ -Tim Hwang
This method of exploitative target marketing to Black and POC to build your apps only to then limit their creative autonomy by flooding their feeds with advertising — is the very definition of embedded gaslighting. No matter how many iterations of the UI.
Issa Wrap
From OnlyFans ousting the In-Office Experience, The Exodus of Etsy, Pay Race based Influencer Pyramid Schemes, to Spotify offering artists $. 0033-$. 0054 per stream.
The reality is the future is to : ‘opt-out’
And not just for users, luminaries like Timnit Gebru are also leading the change establishing new initiatives like the DAIR Institute. Additionally, as more users start to understand the foundational structures of The American and Global Economic industry. It is hard not to see just how dangerous a ‘simple’ survey can be…
The difference now being that DOA’s in Web3 offer the chance at true creative inclusivity, equity and autonomy — outside of the era of residual slavery.
Artist to AI Research Pipeline
The value of integrating Art Managers like myself, Curators, Administrators, Librarians, Grant writers, Artist and everything in-between into UX R&D Strategy is : we create experiences worth experiencing.
We always have.
Museums, Galleries and Happening exist as non-religious human sanctuaries. Places and spaces designed to offer true inclusion and diversity. A moment of offline leisure and clarity. I have dedicated my life to cultivating a diverse range of end-to-end creative R&D strategy.
The reality is everyone else is behind with understanding the Arts to AI pipeline.
Surprise — Artist initiated artifact object modeling is a necessity for the future of AI innovations within Web3. Look to those who are from Arts, Libraries, and Antiquities for new and innovative research, design and strategy. Tap into OUR expertise to uncover new methodologies for UXR innovation, inclusion, and equity.
Mic Drop
This piece is meant to highlight this opportunity to create a new system of UXR methodology. To get you thinking:
What metrics will be the most valuable in Web3 outside of marketing?
