This document discusses user research war stories and lessons learned from failures and challenges in the field. It provides tips for conducting user research interviews safely and effectively. Some of the tips discussed include not going into the field alone, knowing your limits and those of your colleagues, considering whether a situation feels uncomfortable or unsafe, and debriefing with teammates after fieldwork. The document emphasizes that failures will happen but can provide valuable lessons if approached with openness and a desire to learn and improve methods.

1. 1
Doorbells, Danger,
and Dead Batteries
User Research War Stories
Steve Portigal
@steveportigal

2. 2
It’s All Going To Burn

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Sameer Chavan
Connecting Through War Stories

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Click to edit Master title style“We’re wired for story. In a culture of scarcity and
perfectionism, there’s a surprisingly simple reason we
want to own, integrate, and share our stories of
struggle. We do this because we feel the most alive
when we’re connecting with others and being brave
with our stories.” Brené Brown, Rising Strong

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www.portigal.com/
category/series/
warstories

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Survivorship Bias

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Control is an Illusion

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Click to edit Master title styleThey Call Me Mister
Elaine Fukuda
touchtons.wordpress.com

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It's okay to walk away
Call a timeout
Use the breaks you are given
The unexpected can reveal new truths
Improvise

10. 10
Those
Exasperating
Participants

11. 11
Those
Exasperating
Participants
A Crisis of Credibility
Cordy Swope
stoc.info

12. 12
Good recruiting is essential
The more you invest in fieldwork, the more
you need backup
Accept that failures will happen
If you can’t engage, change the topic
If an interview is going badly, stick with it
Don't blame when you meet a dishonest
participant

13. 13
The Perils of Fieldwork

14. 14
Those
Exasperating
Participants
It’s 4:00 a.m. Do You Know
Where Your Ethnographer Is?
Gavin Johnston
"2am in the subway..." (CC BY 2.0) by wwward0

15. 15
Don't go into the field alone
Know your limits and those of your
colleagues
Look before you go
You are a participant, not an observer
Consider the difference between
uncomfortable and unsafe

16. 16
Think about what you take into the field and
how you display it
The interview is a fixed duration
Practice your observer's distance
Debrief with teammates about their feelings

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Judging and Learning

18. Portigal
To Research Is
To Be Human

19. Portigal
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the
courage to show up and be seen when we have no
control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness;
it’s our greatest measure of courage.”
Brené Brown, Rising Strong

20. Portigal
Click to edit Master title stylePlanning research, asking questions (and resources)
rosenfeldmedia.com/books/interviewing-users/
Interviews with in-house user research leaders
portigal.com/podcast/
Coming VERY soon!
rosenfeldmedia.com/books/user-research-war-stories/

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Thank you! @steveportigal
steve@portigal.com
www.portigal.com