Saying “No” to a Research Request
As a researcher, have you ever declined a stakeholder’s request for research?
If you haven’t declined a stakeholder’s request for research, you might be compromising the impact of your work.
It’s counterintuitive. User researchers are relied on to deliver lots of answers, and “no” isn’t necessarily one of them. But there’s always more research to be done, and usually more demand than we can handle.
And that’s where opportunity cost rears its head. Every time you say yes to research, you risk delaying or declining other, more pressing research that might arise. And if you say yes to both, you risk stretching yourself too thin and compromising the execution of both requests.
The most effective user researchers ruthlessly prioritize so they can focus on the highest-impact research. A big part of that skill is knowing when and how to say no.
Why to Say “No”
There are many valid reasons for turning down a stakeholder’s research request. The research request might be asking a question that is not important or even answerable. Or perhaps the answer to the question at hand already exists, either outside your organization (e.g., in a journal or other publication) or within your organization but outside your immediate team. Or maybe you find yourself stretched a bit thin across multiple prioritized projects.
Softer Options
Instead of flat-out saying no, you can always offer partial help to support the research request. For example, you might piggyback on existing research being done in your team, outsource research to an external vendor (overseeing its execution), or collaborate with another team in your organization that’s exploring a similar topic. Depending on your situation, all of these can be much better options than a reluctant yes.
The Art of Saying “No”
But sometimes, no is just the right answer. In those cases, the important thing is how you deliver the message. Here are the three techniques I’ve found the most effective at protecting your time while keeping stakeholders engaged. (Note: I suspect that these would apply just as well to other cross-functional disciplines, such as market research or content strategy.)
- Precision questioning. Instead of just saying no, ask questions to understand the rationale behind the research request. For example: “What is the research question you want answered?” If stakeholders are unable to articulate the research question, you can steer them away or help them mold the research question into one that has already been or is being answered. Another question you can ask is: “Let’s assume we get all the data. How will it help you make a decision?” If stakeholders can’t articulate the end game, you have all the leverage.
- Tradeoff framing. If the research being requested sounds worthwhile but you have more impactful work to do, frame the idea of taking on the new research as a tradeoff. For example: “If I do this research we’re talking about — which by the way is super interesting in my opinion — something else is going to fall off my roadmap that the leadership has signed off on, such as x (e.g., committed fieldwork).” Sharing a research roadmap engages the requestor but also lets them know that you have additional priorities that might be outside of their scope or view.
- Gut Check — If you are unsure whether or not to pass up a research opportunity, sometimes the best option is to turn to your manager. “Thanks for sharing this research request with me,” you might say. “I just have to check with my manager.” As a manager, this is one of my favorite techniques, as it’s my job to provide air cover. Furthermore, your manager can offer an outside perspective as well as provide counseling on arriving at the best business decision. Being able to walk through the pros and cons of accepting a research request can be helpful with your manager as the sounding board. They can also act as a third voice to the broader conversation if need be.
A Good Sign
Saying no doesn’t come easily for user researchers, who tend to be hardwired to deliver results whenever we’re asked for them. But with a little practice and the tips above, it gets easier.
One thing to keep in mind: if you’re fielding enough requests that you’re concerned about how to say no, it’s a pretty good sign that your research is highly valued.
I’d love to hear about other effective techniques for declining requests. Please share your experiences in the comments. Or if you’d rather not, you know what to do.
Thank you to Sarah Sled, Pratiti Raychoudhury & Carolyn Wei for their contributions on previous drafts of this post.
Author: Umer Farooq, Research Manager at Facebook
Illustrator: Sarah Lawrence
