Conducting effective research sessions requires more than just gathering data and designing a research study. An end to end well planned research study can fail or not lead to rich data if the participants are not involved and willing to share. Therefore as researchers, we have to constantly hone our art of keeping participants engaged and interested and put in effort to maintain the energy of the sessions to be able to uncover rich insights.
Here are some simple tips and actionable ways that can help in keeping participants engaged throughout the research sessions.
1. Easing participants into the research topic
When starting the research sessions, it is crucial to create a smooth transition into the research topic to ensure participants remain keen to engage throughout the session. Often, moderators feel overwhelmed by the multitasking required during research sessions and the pressure of time causes them to rush right into the research topic. However, by investing the time to build a connection with the participants, making them comfortable and slowly easing them into the research topic, one can set a positive tone and increase the likelihood of active participation for the session.
Based on the geography, it is also important to get accustomed to the socio-cultural nuances and dynamics of the culture. Using these contextual norms is a great way of building a rapport with the participants. For example, in the Indian context, we will often find participants offering water, tea or snacks as soon as we meet them and willingness to share this moment of having tea or ‘chai’ together becomes a solid way for the participants to feel trust and warmth which can bring a great amount of candidness, openness and comfort in the research interactions that follow.
2. Creating the right environment to foster trust and openness
Creating the right environment for the research participants is of utmost importance as it sets the foundation for inclusive and meaningful engagement. The environment encompasses both the physical and psychological aspects of the research setting. Physically, it involves providing a comfortable and conducive space that allows participants to feel at ease and free from distractions. Moreover, the psychological environment also plays a vital role in fostering trust, openness, and a sense of safety.
In specific contexts like India, the familial dynamics and social norms should be taken into consideration when defining the research setting. For example, when engaging with women participants who may have limited autonomy or low confidence, reminding them that there is no right or wrong answer, allowing them space to think and reminding them that we are interested in knowing their personal opinions and feelings goes a long way in building confidence to share their thoughts openly.
Similarly, when working with children or teenagers, providing a setting where they can speak freely, probably away from an authoritative gaze can encourage them to share candid opinions without fear of judgment or consequences.
3. Giving full visibility of the research session
Giving full visibility of the duration, activities, goals and structure of the research process to the research participants is a very simple but highly effective step to build trust with the participants. Not only does this help participants feel in control and at ease, it also benefits them by helping them understand the impact and value of their involvement. By providing a clear explanation of how their feedback will contribute to decision-making processes, product improvements, or social change, participants can feel an increased sense of motivation to participate and share ownership of the process.
Moreover, sharing research goals and defining the expected research output for the participants can help with engagement and accountability. Urging the participants to be as elaborate and articulate as possible in their responses, asking them to share examples or instances, or simply stating that their honest opinions and candid responses are welcome; can help with achieving alignment with the proposed research goals and improve the research experience.
4. Using multi-sensorial aids to make sessions interactive
Lastly, designing research activities to be engaging, interactive and interesting is the most crucial and necessary aspect to focus on when designing your sessions. Avoiding monotonous activities, one-sided conversations, designing long sessions can lead to participants feeling fatigued or disengaged in the process. Instead, incorporating engaging activities like brainstorming, role-playing, group-discussions or co-creation activities or using visual aids & multimedia elements during research sessions can really improve the engagement and enthusiasm for participants. Using slides, videos, images or other sensory elements to support the discussion points can help clarify complex concepts, maintain participants’ attention, and break the monotony of verbal information.
During a recent project at Xeno Co-lab, we conducted fieldwork involving research sessions of a duration of 4 hours with 3 family members of a household. Initially, we were concerned about the potential fatigue due to the extended duration but to our surprise, each household we visited expressed high levels of engagement and enthusiasm. The interactive activities involving the family members and collaborative approach helped the participants to view the sessions as an opportunity for family bonding, creative thinking and shared experiences.
By incorporating the strategies mentioned above, moderators and researchers can successfully create research environments that foster open dialogue and are conducive to immersion. Taking the time to ease your participants into the research topic, being intentional about the environment, encouraging participant involvement and ensuring clear communication, can significantly improve the likelihood of obtaining meaningful and valuable insights. Lastly, it is important to remember that even though research sessions may involve well-planned activities that are executed in controlled environments with a lot of pre-planning and use of sophisticated tools and technology; research at its core is about human-centricity. We need to approach the research settings with a human-centric lens and ensure that it feels approachable and comfortable for the users and only then can we enhance our learnings and elevate the research outputs.
— Avani Tavargeri (Research Consultant, Xeno Co-lab)
With this article, we come to the end of the 6 part Research Tips and Tricks article series by Xeno Co-lab that shed light on some of the most important challenges encountered during research studies. The articles cover best practices, approaches and techniques to incorporate into your research process that can help you achieve long term sustained impact and elevate your research efforts in India from an all-round perspective.
If you enjoyed reading this series, we would love to hear your thoughts and engage in discussions to advance the research practise globally. Please feel free to reach out to us at hello@xenocolab.com to exchange ideas or thoughts to drive meaningful impact and build on our collective knowledge.
