One unexpected challenge I encountered was realizing that user research can easily be influenced by bias at the beginning—sometimes even unintentionally. As researchers, we may bring our own assumptions into the process, which can shape the questions we ask or how we interpret results.
Another thing that surprised me is how time-consuming it is to organize quantitative research. At the same time, I began to notice that even well-designed research can have limitations—such as narrow perspectives or hidden biases—that I never really thought about before. This made me more aware of the importance of critically evaluating sources, even if they seem credible on the surface.
Among the research methods, I feel most confident using interviews. I believe I’m good at making interviewees feel comfortable and open up more easily. I’m also attentive and receptive during conversations, which helps build trust.
User research allows me to hear personal stories and understand behavior patterns in a deeper way. For example, some of my friends are really into milk tea—they even taught me how to tell the difference between real tea and ones made with creamer. These small, naturally revealed habits were really interesting to observe. I think interviews help me sharpen both my listening and observational skills, especially when it comes to picking up subtle details and summarizing them later. I also enjoy hearing unexpected stories around a research topic—it makes the process more engaging, and I think my genuine interest encourages people to share more. I’m also quite quick at grasping the deeper meaning behind what people say, and I often follow up with paraphrased or reflective questions to dig further.
For Project B, I plan to practice interviewing people I don’t already know—completely random users. I want to work on designing questions that are truly neutral, without pushing participants toward certain answers. For instance, if I’m researching what a makerspace should look like, especially from the perspective of experienced maker enthusiasts, I shouldn’t suggest options or guide them toward any specific setup. Instead, I should ask about their first impressions or what comes to mind naturally.
From the Rhizome sharing, one key takeaway was that unfamiliar interviewees might not be completely honest or expressive in the beginning. It takes time for them to build trust with you, and only then will they give more authentic feedback. That’s why creating a sense of trust during the interview is so important—especially when we want to explore the deep intuition of users who are highly experienced in a particular field.
One eye-opening moment happened during class when we read each other’s survey questions. My groupmate Tam and I found so many problems in each other’s designs—it made me realize how something that seemed so simple and straightforward to me could be unclear or biased to someone else. Some of the words I used carried subtle misunderstandings, likely due to language habits or assumptions.
I remember one of my groupmates had a confusing question. I read it over and over trying to figure out what it meant, and only after they explained it did I finally understand. I rephrased it in a clearer way, and that moment helped me see how sometimes it’s easier for an outsider to clarify an idea. It was the first time I really saw how much wording matters in research.
I’m especially interested in trying diary studies. I think this method is more difficult to implement because it requires long-term engagement from participants and careful planning. But at the same time, it can lead to more in-depth and insightful data. Since the amount of information collected can be huge and interconnected, it also challenges the way we analyze and organize data. I feel like this method has the potential to reveal patterns or surprises we might not expect from more direct forms of research.