How to Sell UX Research with Two Simple Questions

The article presents a strategy for UX designers to effectively advocate for user research by engaging stakeholders in a collaborative process called the Object Definition Workshop. This workshop, grounded in the principles of Object-Oriented UX (OOUX), aims to identify and address knowledge gaps within the team, thereby highlighting the necessity of user research. The process begins with "noun foraging," where the UX designer identifies potential objects related to the product by analyzing various sources like marketing materials and existing product interfaces. These nouns, representing key elements within the system, are then scrutinized in the workshop setting using two fundamental questions: "What are the objects?" and "What are the relationships between those objects?". By collaboratively exploring these questions, stakeholders are prompted to confront their own assumptions and uncertainties about user needs and product functionality. This exercise, facilitated through open discussion and visual aids like object maps, exposes potential design flaws and inconsistencies stemming from a lack of user understanding. As stakeholders actively participate in unraveling the complexities of the system, they organically arrive at the need for user research, transforming the UX designer's plea from a request to a shared imperative. This shared understanding and acknowledgement of the unknown paves the way for a user-centered design process, ensuring that the final product aligns with user needs and avoids costly missteps. The Object Definition Workshop, therefore, acts as a bridge between assumptions and informed design decisions, with user research as its cornerstone.