How to Address Client Concerns About Research Findings

I used to make this mistake when presenting to clients. It wasn't until a client called me out on it that I finally figured it out. "Diana, I don't care about all of this." She said that to me while I was in the middle of a presentation, talking about my methodology, the research, the data, how I got the findings. She said, "Read that last sentence again." Did you catch the reason why she said that? It's so obvious to me now: I prioritized facts and process. I gave details for the sake of details. Eventually I realized that clients pay us for advice -- not just information. Whenever I'd go to meetings with senior partners I noticed a pattern: 1) Focus on business implications, not just the process. Answer "so what?" not "how?" 2) Connect findings to the client specifically. Industry benchmarks are one thing. Show how they apply to this situation in particular. 3) Provide scenarios. Help clients understand second, third order consequences. Facts matter, but interpreting them in the context of that sector or country is what makes the difference. Think like a problem solver, not just a researcher. #duediligence #privateequity #mergersandacquisitions

Over the past 20 years in market research, many project issues I've seen stem from mismanaging client expectations. Whether you work for a research firm, an agency, a consultancy, or any other business that involves regular client discussions, here are 4 pointers. 1️⃣ Communication—Regularly communicate, candidly ask the client how often they want updates, and never let a week go by without touching base, regardless of the project stage. Anticipate questions and answer them before they ask. A client sending an email asking, "What's the status of...?" is a failure on your end - within reason. Lack of responsiveness leads to mistrust, even more micromanagement, skepticism, and other issues that can be snuffed out by communicating openly. 2️⃣ Be Realistic—We all want to say "yes" to clients, but there are often ways to showcase your experience and expertise by being honest about what can be achieved with a given timeline and budget. The expectation could be a lack of understanding about the process or industry norms. Underpromise and overdeliver versus overpromise and underdeliver. Those honest conversations may appear inflexible, but they're often more about setting expectations and setting up both parties for long-term sustainable success. Saying "no" to this project could be a better long-term decision for the account than saying "yes" and failing with no second chance. 3️⃣ Understand Perspective—Take the time to actively listen to your client's needs, goals, and priorities. It goes beyond listening and includes asking smart (and sometimes bolder) questions to get a complete understanding. What drove the need for research? Why is receiving results within 2 weeks crucial? What happens if you don't receive results in 2 weeks? Understanding what's pushing the decisions behind the scenes can be a game changer. 4️⃣ Solutions Over Problems—Never present a problem or an issue to a client without a path forward. "This happened, but here are 3 things we can do to fix it." You need to be more than someone who relays information, you need to be a true consultant. Be able to justify each recommendation and explain the pros and cons of each path. -------------------------------------- Need MR advice? Message me. 📩 Visit @Drive Research 💻  1400+ articles to help you. ✏️ --------------------------------------

Design research involves embracing the challenges of working with stakeholders. Almost always. Research isn’t naturally seen as the go-to method for making design decisions. New agreements must be created regularly: setting clear expectations, supporting the team, and encouraging stakeholders to get involved. Integrating research into ongoing workflows means understanding stakeholder involvement and the challenges it creates. Over the past five years of continuous research and iterative design, we've encountered several challenges–here are some steps to overcome them. I created a quadrant graph to illustrate these challenges, with the X-axis showing how important research is to stakeholders and the Y-axis showing their motivation. Pressure Cooker ↳ Stakeholders value research and desire perfection. This creates a high-pressure environment with an intense focus on getting the correct answer with the proper methods, leading to stress and potential strain on the research process. Suggestion: Set clear goals and break the research into manageable steps. Keep stakeholders updated and realistic about what’s achievable. Confirmation Bias ↳ Stakeholders here may not prioritize research but still want to confirm their beliefs or ideas. The risk is that they may selectively use research to validate their preconceptions, disregarding findings that challenge their views. Suggestion: Present a balanced view with data that supports and challenges their views. Encourage open discussions about different perspectives. Resistant to Change ↳ Stakeholders value research as necessary but primarily focus on avoiding mistakes. This leads to a reluctance to embrace new ideas or changes, as they prefer to stick with what is known and safe. Skepticism Suggestion: Introduce small, low-risk changes with solid evidence. Show how these changes can lead to positive outcomes. Skepticism ↳ Stakeholders are not invested in research and are more concerned with avoiding errors. Their skepticism towards research can result in disengagement, making it difficult to convince them of the value of research findings. Suggestion: Deliver quick wins that directly address their concerns. Use previous examples to show how research solves their problems and builds trust over time. What challenges have you experienced? #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch