Research Impact
Building Trust with stakeholders using CAVE
A framework for cultivating and maintaining stakeholder trust throughout the end-to-end research process.
Implementing UX research into a development process can be complicated. From time constraints to participant recruitment, there are variables out of your control that can influence the impact your research has on the direction of the product.
One variable that you can control as a researcher is your working relationship with your stakeholders.
To ensure that your research insights have a big impact, it is essential to build trust with your stakeholders. As researchers, we can’t expect stakeholders to trust any findings we bring them if trust has not been built throughout the research process. Four important factors can help build trust during the research process:
Collaboration
While UX researchers are the experts in the field of UX research, we should not be the gatekeepers of it. It is essential to identify moments in your process that present opportunities for collaboration with your stakeholders.
Continuing to build trust with your stakeholders this way also helps prevent questions later about your reasoning for asking one question and not another.
Alignment
It is vital when building trust to ensure that you are aligned with your stakeholders from the very beginning of your study.
The last thing you want is to complete an entire research study only to learn that you did not meet the objectives of your stakeholders! Alignment at the beginning of your study not only begins building trust but also ensures that everyone agrees on the direction of the study.
Visibility
The UX research process can have a long timeline, and so much happens in the development process that an ongoing research study can sometimes slip from consideration. This is where visibility comes into play.
Consider also sharing audio clips from research sessions that you have facilitated. These can keep your stakeholders engaged and potentially kick off a discussion around the insight — which again leads to collaboration.
Engagement
All of the above motivate your stakeholders to engage with your research study.
By growing engagement, you ensure your stakeholders understand the foundations of your insights and the narrative surrounding your users. Growing empathy for your users and fostering trust in your insights will maximise the impact of your research on the growth of your product.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, completing a UX research study rarely goes by without a hitch. But I believe that building trust between you and your stakeholders using the techniques above can allow for these hitches to happen without impacting the potential value of your research insights.
My final recommendation
Create a channel or group in Slack or Teams for your study.
Use it to provide visibility, ensure alignment, promote collaboration and grow engagement with your stakeholders.