Traditional researchers resist technology in UX research. How can you overcome their resistance?

To overcome traditional researchers' resistance to technology in UX research at Education First, emphasize the alignment between technological tools and the company’s mission to enhance learning experiences globally. Highlight how technology can provide richer insights into user behavior, enabling more personalized and effective educational solutions. Engage researchers by demonstrating how these tools can complement their existing methodologies, reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, and provide data-driven insights that ultimately enhance the educational impact. Offering hands-on training sessions and showcasing success stories where technology has improved research outcomes can also help ease the transition.

As a UX/UI designer, I would address resistance by demonstrating how technology enhances traditional research, improving efficiency and accuracy. I'd introduce small pilot programs to allow traditional researchers to experience the benefits firsthand, fostering trust and making the transition to new tools smoother and less intimidating.

There is always some resistance when it comes to adapting a new technology. It would require some patience and strategy to convince people to shift from a traditional approach to a new one which can include educating people around technology implementation and its benefits, addressing concerns around it, adapting it in increments and auditing the results.

To overcome resistance to technology in UX research, it's vital to educate researchers with simple explanations of how modern tools save time and offer deeper insights. Hands-on sessions are key, allowing researchers to experience these benefits directly. This approach helps demystify new technologies and encourages their adoption, enhancing the research process.

When it comes to making a change from an old system to new one, there’s always going to be resistance as human generally don’t like to leave behind what they are comfortable with. Educating them on the advantage of using a new tool and telling them what leverage they now hold is necessary in getting them to change their mind and adopt the change

Traditional researchers often have two main blockers to adopting new tech tools. There's a concern about whether these tools can capture the nuances of user emotions and motivations. Second is the lack of skills to effectively use new technologies To increase adoption: 1. Show value: Demonstrate how tech can enhance emotional insights through advanced sentiment analysis. Plus, it can automate menial tasks like recruitment, note-taking etc. giving time back to focus on more strategic tasks. 2. Training: Train researchers so that they can use new tech tools effectively. Help them gradually integrate these tools into the existing workflow. 3. Mindset shift: Help researchers see these tools as boosters and not their replacements.

This hesitance to adopt new technology is common in so many industries, and it makes sense; the old way works, and the new way requires overcoming a learning curve, and you probably cannot tell how steep that curve is going to be, even after researching tools. I find value in taking a small, simple project and testing these systems, or redoing a project you've already completed (depending on what software you're planning to use). Don't challenge yourself at the start of a huge research project. Find a low- to no-stress environment to start.

Advocating for incremental change is key to fostering technology adoption in UX research. Start by introducing one or two tools that offer immediate, tangible improvements to existing workflows, minimizing the disruption to familiar methods. This gradual approach helps reduce resistance, as researchers can experience the benefits on a manageable scale, easing concerns about a complete overhaul. By allowing them to see the positive impact firsthand, you build confidence and open the door to broader technological exploration. This steady, step-by-step integration ensures smoother transitions and greater long-term adoption.

il est crucial d'adopter une approche patiente et progessive. Commencer par intégrer lentement des outils technlogiques qui completent les methodes traditionnelles, en mettant en avant des etudes de cas réussies et en offrant des formations pratiques. En abordant les préocupations avec des exemples concrets et en démontrant les avantages, on pourrait egalement créer un pont entre l'approche traditionnelle et les nouvelles possibilités offertes par la technologie.

With one or two impactful tech tools in UX research to ease transition. This gradual approach minimizes overwhelm and allows traditional researchers to experience benefits, fostering openness to further technology

I have been through various circumstances for design approaches through traditional as well as tech savvy people into technology. The way I believe is that technology is more to help us even in research especially in a fast paced environment. Design as a collaboration gives good results even when it comes to our stakeholders/clients, this same event takes place when the designers collaborate together even if you are more into traditional approaches there is always a way and consistent approach when things go hand in hand even if it's something new to our knowledge. Designers as people solving the problems together and creating with new methodology through collaboration contribute to the growth and values.

In my experience, a collaborative approach is always a good solution for people who don't rely on technology. The key is to encourage them to participate, collaborate, and share their experiences, and then demonstrate how technology works and can benefit their research.

Faire des concessions n'est pas une mauvaise idée si cela déclenche une ouverture aux changements auprès des chercheurs traditionnels. Profiter ensuite de cette ouverture pour en apporter d'autres

Foster a collaborative approach by involving traditional researchers in the decision-making process and valuing their input and expertise.

In virtually all aspects of my life working as a unit has been a productive approach. This is incredibly apparent in the UX research sphere considering it is the art of establishing context. In UX, nothing is ever one-sided. It requires taking into account all possible perspectives. Both tech-savvy and traditional researchers can use shared experience to find common ground, and establish a collaborative environment.

There will always be resistance, but overcoming it takes time. Be prepared to face challenges. One effective approach is to share stories of how technology has improved user experience for others. Additionally, address misconceptions and concerns, and offer workshops or training sessions to help others understand the benefits of using technology in UX research.

Il faut savoir détecter si la résistance vient d'un goût personnel ou d'une réticence au changement, en plus des points listés. Ensuite adapter l'approche par rapport à l'analyse faite

Addressing concerns thoughtfully is critical in easing the adoption of technology in UX research. Listen attentively to traditional researchers' worries—whether it's about data security, the perceived impersonal nature of tech-driven methods, or the challenges of mastering new software. Acknowledge these concerns openly and provide clear, reassuring explanations and support. Offering tailored training, emphasizing privacy measures, and showing how technology can enhance, rather than replace, the human touch can build trust. This empathetic approach fosters an environment where researchers feel supported, reducing apprehension and encouraging a smoother transition.

Incremental change and fragmented UX research tools reduce the cost of subscription. Lesser cost of research tools motivates UX researchers and students globally to use the tools. It is important to not work on sophisticated UX research tools. One page UX research tools will improve adoption.

La resistencia es inevitable, pero superarla requiere tiempo y preparación para enfrentar desafíos. Una estrategia eficaz es compartir historias sobre cómo la tecnología ha mejorado la experiencia de usuario para otros. Además, aborda conceptos erróneos y preocupaciones, y ofrece talleres o sesiones de formación para ayudar a los demás a entender los beneficios de usar tecnología en la investigación UX.

Technology can aid UX research in many ways, but the one I've personally most benefitted from is the ability to revisit either the reserach material, results, or the obeservation itself. Many times I've been scrubbing through a video interview recording I had, watching and listening closely for additional and previously missed insights and pieces of information. Being present for these sessions is not always enough, and insights from the video recordings of interviews or user testing have consistently yielded better results.

Focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) that directly correlate with business goals. By comparing pre- and post-research metrics, you can visually demonstrate the value of using technology in UXR. Emphasize the "why" behind the technology: how it addressed specific pain points and led to improved shared goals. Use storytelling techniques to bring your data to life, focusing on the "what," "why," and "how" of the technology. Don't forget to quantify the potential losses that could have occurred if the tech wasn't adopted. This helps to underscore the financial benefits of investing in it. By showcasing concrete results and demonstrating the ROI, you'll be more likely to overcome resistance.

The best way to prove new methods are quantifiable results and orders of magnitude in efficiency. We can agree new technologies such as LLM’s still need to further improve and still yield insight results that are not always reliable. However these initial obstacles are compensated by the sheer speed of the processes combined with improved reasoning models such as Qstar that will finally substitute expensive and slow methods of UX research like user interviews. Most importantly these new tools can easily justify all of their answers and handle thousands of times more data. For example you can conduct thousands of interviews with “synthetic users” combining the best values of IDI’s with big data numbers, at cost and speed.

Showcasing success stories is a powerful way to inspire traditional researchers to embrace technology in UX research. Highlight real-world examples where tech integration has led to more accurate user insights, streamlined processes, or influenced critical design decisions. These tangible outcomes can demonstrate the practical benefits of new tools and methods, turning abstract concepts into concrete results. When researchers see the direct impact technology has had on similar projects, it becomes easier for them to envision how it could enhance their own work, making them more open to integrating these advancements into their practices.

Mostrar casos de éxito es una forma poderosa de inspirar a los investigadores tradicionales a adoptar la tecnología en la investigación UX. Resalta ejemplos reales donde la integración tecnológica ha conducido a insights más precisos sobre los usuarios, procesos más ágiles o decisiones críticas de diseño. Estos resultados tangibles pueden demostrar los beneficios prácticos de nuevas herramientas y métodos, convirtiendo conceptos abstractos en resultados concretos. Cuando los investigadores ven el impacto directo de la tecnología en proyectos similares, es más fácil para ellos imaginar cómo podría mejorar su propio trabajo, haciéndolos más receptivos a integrar estos avances en sus prácticas.

En plus d'un système de mentorat, il est interessant de faire participer les chercheurs traditionnels à des meetup ou des webinar sur le sujet. Afin d'élargir leur points de vue et de montrer qu'il y a d'autres entreprises concernées et interessées.

Mentorship programs can be a transformative way to bridge the gap between traditional researchers and modern UX technologies. Pairing experienced researchers with tech-savvy mentors fosters personalized learning, creating a supportive space for skill development and knowledge transfer. This one-on-one guidance helps traditional researchers gain confidence with new tools at their own pace, making the learning curve less intimidating. As they become more comfortable with the technology, their resistance naturally decreases, enabling a smoother transition towards a more innovative and tech-forward research approach.