Stakeholders: the other end-user cohort
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
I’ve written dozens of research reports. It’s not uncommon that they are peppered with bold, honest phrases that are designed to emphasize important key findings. Findings that hold a lot of weight, and are foundational to influencing key decisions.
In my experience product and design teams find research reports eye-opening and energizing. They are grateful for the clarity and guidance. However, in organizations that are new to user research, or unfamiliar with qualitative data it can be challenging to persuade those at the very top.
My biggest tip
Here’s the key to ensuring success with your next stakeholder presentation… When planning your next research study, remember to also consider your stakeholders as an end-user cohort. This is the work behind the work. Take the time to set up some short “getting to know you” sessions with as many leaders as you can.
Use the questions below to guide you. By uncovering the answers to these, you will be better equipped to make sure that the next stakeholder presentation you give is received with open ears.
Key questions
Here are some questions you and your team might want to answer before you begin your next UXR project.
What are your stakeholders’ goals/dreams/fears?
Do they have strongly held beliefs/assumptions that you should be aware of?
What’s their familiarity/level of experience with UXR? Do you need to educate or build trust?
What’s their comfort level with qual vs quant deliverables and methods? Do you need to explain the value or tailor your storytelling to suspend disbelief?
What’s their appetite for provocation? Are they open to having the study invalidate an idea or internally held assumption?
What altitude of insight will best resonate with them? Consider packaging insights differently for different stakeholders.
How do they prefer to consume information, long form/short form/deck/verbal presentation, etc?
This will help you
Build relationships with your stakeholders that will generate trust.
Understand what storytelling techniques/formats to employ and help you craft and frame a story that resonates.
Strike the right balance of qual and quantitative data to appeal to their decision-making preferences.
Ensure that your work is valued and has more impact on the organization.
