In the field of UX Research we work with complex sophisticated emotional human beings who are trying to make sense of what they see on the emotionless screen in front of them. What questions we ask, how and what data we collect, and how we deal with the results is our responsibilities. If we keep asking and listening with focus we may have a better shot at helping evolve the web. If not, why do research in the first place if the goal is not to contribute, enhance, and evolve the body of knowledge?
When I was a kid, as part of my child-job-description, I used to ask a lot of (stupid) questions! By the time I started to grow in size, it was sort of expected of me to stop but I didn’t. Originally, this was not a conscious choice but a natural course into adulthood. Despite teasing of others, I kept asking (some but not all stupid) questions, for the sole purpose of understanding and knowing. With time, gradually, these questions started to solidify, mature, and gear towards one of my passions: the way humans cognitively interact with the web, more specifically information retrieval and the affective search behavior.
Not knowing what I was getting myself into, or why asking questions had become an essential part of me, I kept moving forward and watched how things unfold one after the other. The person who asks (hopefully the right) questions is the one who also hears. Asking and listening are like an inseparable couple. When you ask you must listen. And when you listen you must learn.There is no way around it. You cannot ask and then talk or daydream.
To me, great researchers have specific characteristics. They ask the right questions AND are great listeners. All my hero researchers and scientists appear to have these attributes. Great masters of any field seem to have kept their childish curious minds, while asking questions.
I, for one, have ways to go but for now I am happy to have kept my curious mind who keeps asking stupid questions. This, I believe is a must in our field.
