A tale of two researchers: how to help a participant feel comfortable in the lab
Scene 1: The inexperienced, clueless researcher
A usability researcher leads a somewhat nervous participant into a room with a one-way mirror. The participant wasn't quite expecting this--he was expecting a focus group with multiple participants around a table--that's what his previous market research study experiences have been like--and here he is, all alone with a stranger in a mirrored room. Nice. "Who's back behind that mirror?" he wonders. It sure is bright in this room--his eyes hurt.
He eyes the mirror suspiciously. "I feel like a guinea pig," he mutters under his breath. "Yeah," says the researcher jokingly, trying to lighten the mood, "Are you afraid we might shock you if you do something wrong??" The researcher laughs, and to be polite, so does the participant. "No," says the researcher, "There will be no shocks, I promise. We really just want your honest opinion. We really appreciate you coming in." The researcher closes the door behind him and begins to read the participant instructions. The participant thinks he might hear some voices coming from behind that mirror. The researcher is reading some stuff to him, but he's not really paying attention. "How long is this going to last?" he thinks. He worries about leaving in time to pick his daughter up from school.
Scene 2: The well-seasoned, clued-in researcher
A usability researcher leads a somewhat nervous participant into a room with a one-way mirror. "Ah ha," the participant thinks, "the recruiter told me I'd be the only one here, and I was assuming they'd record my session, so yeah--this must be where I sit." Still, it's a little bit weird being in this room with the mirrors.
The usability researcher notices the participant looking at the mirror, hesitating to sit in the chair. "So," the researcher says, "This is where you'll be sitting, and let me show you where I'll be." The researcher leads the participant over to the other side of the one-way mirror. "This is my computer station," says the researcher, "And you can see on here, this is where I'll see the image of your screen, and an image of your face. We record both in case we need to go back and remember something you said." There's another person in the room too, the participant notices. "This is Emily," says the researcher, "she's helping me out with the study today." Emily and the participant shake hands.
The researcher leads the participant back to the other room with the mirror. "So--this is where you'll be, and I'll be right next door. We can talk at any time--the room is wired for sound. Is the light OK for you in here?" The participant says yes. "Well, feel free to adjust the lights or the window shade in any way you'd like." Hmm--maybe that glare on the monitor is a bit much, thinks the participant--and gets up to adjust the shade.
"We'll be done about 2:45," says the researcher. "Will that work for you?" "Yes," says the participant, "but I've got to leave right at 2:45--I need to pick my daughter up at school." "OK," says the researcher, and jots a note down in his notebook. "Thanks for letting me know--I'll make sure we're done a little before 2:45 to give you some extra time."
The participant takes his coat off, sits down, and begins to listen to the researcher's instructions.
Review
The participant in scene 2 is much better prepared to converse in a relaxed manner, and to give meaningful, honest feedback. He's comfortable in his environment, and he's in control of it. The participant in scene 1, on the other hand, has totally lost control of his experience. He's in an unexpected environment, with a lot of unanswered questions, some worries, and some physical discomfort.
What are the things the second researcher did right? He...
- Set the expectation that this would be a solo study
- Showed both the observer and participant sides of the study area, taking the mystery out of the mirror
- Gave the participant permission to be in control of the physical environment of the room.
- Didn't joke about the feeling of being observed and out of control; instead, he gave the participant information about exactly how he was being observed and why.
- Helped resolve the participant's worries about getting out of the study on time.
- Waited until the participant was relaxed and able to listen before giving important instructions.
As researchers who work routinely in labs, we can sometimes forget how strange it feels to be observed. We should remember this is a novel experience for many of our participants--even if they've done focus group studies, a one on one usability study is a different level of intimacy and interaction with a researcher. The participant needs to be prepared for the fact that she will be the only person in the room, engaging in a one-on-one study with someone. She needs to be given time to adjust to this environment and make it her own. An extra five or ten minutes helping a participant acclimate to your lab could be the difference between getting great data and getting a participant who's too uneasy to open up and talk.