To reduce bias in studies, I take specific actions to minimize its impact on observations and insights.
- During the planning, put the focus on what we don’t know. I discourage research about things that don’t work well or for political purposes.
- During the preparation, follow some basic rules to set the questions for the script.
- I ask open questions.
- I ask about specific past events or actions rather than general opinions.
- I break down the most relevant variables to evaluate X and ask for scores and facts-based responses. I never ask for subjective opinions such as "like/dislike, love/hate, etc.".
- During the execution, if it’s a moderated session:
- Collector artifacts help to set the questions neutrally.
- I use “why” questions to gain depth in responses.
- I use the questions to create a path for the session, but I follow the participant in the conversation.
- I left space for uncomfortable silence when it made sense.
- During the analysis, share thoughts about the information gathered and different interpretations. Sometimes, I talk to experts, such as people from Customer Care or Marketing or read additional documentation. As most of the data I collect is qualitative, this triangulation with some quantitative information helps.