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In a research session, a moderator’s goal is to acquire as much knowledge as possible from potential users of the product based on their experience (or even a lack of experience).&nbsp;

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This knowledge ultimately drives the design, whether it’s of a physical product, packaging, or even a product’s Instructions for Use.
But moderating user research sessions tends to be an overlooked art. A skilled moderator has the ability to ask the questions necessary to understand users’ decisions, needs, and expectations. At the same time, a moderator must be careful not to influence participants.
The Art of Moderating involves keeping one’s approach flexible and navigating nuances skillfully during user research sessions in order to acquire as much knowledge as possible from potential users of a product.

Note: <a href="https://www.delve.com/news/delve-bresslergroup-unite-under-one-name-delve" target="_blank">Bresslergroup is now Delve</a>. This Design Defined video was recorded prior to the merger of Bresslergroup and Delve.

Research enables you to make good decisions throughout new product development, speeding up product development and creating a product that resonates with users. Here’s what research-driven NPD looks like.

Don't Miss: Reduce Project Risk: Incorporate Research Throughout New Product Development

<h2>Laying the Foundation for Successful User Research</h2>
There are a lot of nuances involved in moderating effectively. These include recognizing which details are important, knowing when to take a step back, and sensing how to make your participant feel at ease.
You want participants to be comfortable and relaxed, and sometimes this can mean ensuring that you’ve properly set up the use environment expected for the product you are studying. Then, to get the session flowing, you might start with some broad, easy-to-answer questions.

As you observe, be careful not to jump in too soon if users struggle with a product! Sometimes the best learnings can be had by giving the participant an opportunity to figure it out on their own, and to understand how they ultimately figured it out. This will help lead you to insights that may speak to both the pros and cons of the product and to mitigate these potential errors in the future.

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<h2>Let the Product Phase Determine Your Approach</h2>
Your approach to moderating user research will depend greatly on the research phase, research methodology, and type of product.
When determining the questions you’ll ask and how you’ll ask them, one of the first things you’ll need to do is establish where the product is in the design and development process.
<h2>Generative Research for Early-Stage Projects</h2>
In generative research, which typically happens early in the design process, you’re seeking insights to help you make key decisions. These decisions will ensure you remain in alignment with user needs and the key questions to be answered in the design process.
One example of a frequently used generative-research method is contextual inquiry, or the study of users in their natural environment.
During some types of contextual inquiry, you may even want to imagine yourself starring in a documentary on the Nature channel, observing animals in the wild! Keep conversation to a minimum and take a lot of notes.
<h3>How Contextual Inquiry Led to the Swiffer</h3>
You might be surprised how many of the products you use came from successful contextual inquiry. Swiffer is a great example.
After going into homes and observing people mopping their floors, <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3006797/innovation-method-behind-swiffer-madness">that research team realized the problem was the process</a>, and not so much the product. Instead of sending another new mop to market, their insights prompted a new type of cleaning product altogether.
You can see how asking the right questions — or not asking questions at all — is key. The Swiffer team didn’t ask participants what features they wanted in a new mop. Instead, they simply observed and let those observations speak for themselves.

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<h3>Focus on Users’ Actions</h3>
In research, our focus should be on what people do, not necessarily what they say, because the former is typically more telling.
Be cautious not to ask too many questions, but try and balance that with making sure you ask the right questions. Silence can be golden, and there’s often no need to fill those “awkward silences.” These pauses provide space for participants to think, and to get into a cadence of providing feedback in a more productive way.

Medical devices are commonly recalled due to usability issues that can be prevented with proper usability testing during the development lifecycle.

Don't Miss: Reducing Medical Device Risk with Usability Testing

<h2>Evaluative Research for Late-Stage Products </h2>
More evaluative research methods, such as usability testing, typically happens a little later in the product design and development process.
You can use an opportunity such as formative usability testing to evaluate the current state of your physical product (including the labeling, instructions, and packaging) <a href="https://www.delve.com/insights/reducing-medical-device-risk-with-usability-testing-the-why-the-how-and-the-who" target="_blank">before the “design freeze” sets in</a>. The key here is to learn what the user thinks about the design in such a way as to be impactful.
As a moderator, it’s important for you to understand the elements of the product that can still be influenced by research and to design your study in such a way to ensure the feedback is impactful. Your goal is to allow the conversation to flow toward those objectives, but without bias.

<h2>Moderating Medical Device User Research</h2>
Both generative and evaluative research are vital for mission-critical products like medical devices where safety, efficacy, and performance can be a matter of life or death.
When medical technology company, Baebies, sought Delve's assistance bringing a complex screening procedure out of the lab and into daily use, we interviewed medical lab technicians and phlebotomists to learn the details of the procedure.

Then, we shadowed neonatal nurse practitioners at hospitals of varying sizes, and we talked with department heads to understand existing systems.
We used those sessions to inform a series of models and mock-ups, which we tested with hospital staff in multiple rounds.

Intensive research and real-time prototyping led to an integrated digital-physical redesign that makes rapid screening technology more accessible.

Case Study: Baebies

The result is <a href="https://www.delve.com/work/baebies-rapid-intuitive-newborn-screening" target="_blank">FINDER, a high-quality screening device</a> that can be used for neonatal care around the world. It has a friendly, gentle appearance with physical and virtual interfaces that make every step unmistakable. It’s now available in Europe, and it received a CE Mark in 2019.

<h2>Perfecting the Art of Moderation</h2>
Like any art, moderating takes practice. Over time, and after experiencing many types of personalities, you can start to develop an instinct for it.
No matter what research phase you’re in, your goal should be to break down the barriers between you and your participant so they no longer see you as a moderator but as someone they can easily share their opinions with.
What you learn while moderating a research session will ultimately inform the design of a new product or a next generation of products. This article was written by Christopher Kim.
To explore other key product design principles, download our ebook, Design Defined:

Every innovation challenge is different. At Delve, we use a client-specific mixture of research methods to build a solid foundation for design with an eye to the future.<a href="https://www.delve.com/services/strategy/design-insights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a>

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Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.delve.com/services/strategy/design-insights" target="_blank">Delve Product Design Insights & Market Research Services</a>.

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In a research session, a moderator’s goal is to acquire as much knowledge as possible from potential users of the product based on their experience (or even a lack of experience).

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In a research session, a moderator’s goal is to acquire as much knowledge as possible from potential users of the product based on their experience (or even a lack of experience).

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The Art of Moderating User Research

The Art of Moderating User Research

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