{"id":665991,"date":"2019-01-31T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T17:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/?post_type=msr-blog-post&p=665991"},"modified":"2020-06-12T11:36:55","modified_gmt":"2020-06-12T18:36:55","slug":"diversity-in-user-research-how-nontraditional-backgrounds-enhance-impact","status":"publish","type":"msr-blog-post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/articles\/diversity-in-user-research-how-nontraditional-backgrounds-enhance-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity in user research: How nontraditional backgrounds enhance impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jessica Tran, Ph.D. (opens in new tab)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Note: This article was originally published on January 31, 2019, on Medium<\/p><\/div>\n

A degree in engineering has brought a quantitative edge to this researcher\u2019s practice.<\/h3>\n

Diversity can seem like a buzzword these days, but I am living proof that it\u2019s a whole lot more. I have a PhD in electrical engineering focused in digital signal processing and video compression\u2014and I am a user researcher.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you expected me to talk about other aspects of my identity when I mentioned the word\u00a0diversity<\/em>, and I could have.<\/p>\n

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But inclusion in user research is about more than increasing gender and ethnic diversity in the field.\u00a0Inclusion also means recognizing nontraditional backgrounds and using the skills and experiences that people with different viewpoints can offer.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I want to share how my background allows me to bridge the worlds of user research and engineering, as an example of how\u00a0diverse perspectives can lead to better communication, more meaning from data, and richer insights.<\/p>\n

Communicating in the solution space<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When I collaborate with engineers, they tend to dive \u201cinto the weeds\u201d of detail, and I\u2019m able to communicate with them in a way that gets to the heart of what we\u2019re trying to solve.<\/p>\n

Recently, I worked with the\u00a0Windows Insider Program<\/a>, where people can have early access to the latest Windows features and provide feedback. The first step to better understand the customer population was a headcount of devices, but as I started counting and comparing results with other records, I found that the numbers didn\u2019t add up. At first, the engineer I spoke with sent me to a resource with general information, but I was able to clarify exactly what I wanted and to ask\u2014confidently, in a language that he understood\u2014for the code they\u2019d used in the past. He happily gave me the information that I needed, and we came away with unified parameters.<\/p>\n

Engineers use math and science as a language to communicate complex and abstract concepts that are tangible, which facilitates problem-solving. But when I reflect on this interaction and the kinds of communication I engage in daily, I realize that my role is not just about understanding lines of code and the nuances of implementation. Ultimately, being a researcher with an engineering background makes me a sort of cultural bilingual who can work in both the problem and solution space.<\/p>\n

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This affects not only how I talk to engineers, but also how I conduct my own research as I bring my knowledge of quantitative methods into the problem space.<\/p>\n

The power of quant + qual<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Because of my engineering background, I consider myself a quantitative researcher who uses mixed methods when executing research. On one hand, I\u2019m comfortable with practices like writing my own code to pull big data sets, cleaning data to remove the noise, and creating data visualizations to see any immediate trends. But I also know that data analysis alone doesn\u2019t reveal\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0something is occurring.<\/p>\n

Going back to the Windows Insider example, I first counted devices to identify those that were running the most recent version of prerelease software and met other device characteristics. This helped me identify a precise subset of Insiders I wanted to interview. But only the direct customer engagements allowed me to ask questions, learn about these people\u2019s motivations and needs, and come to a better understanding of why they weren\u2019t updating. These insights, backed up by solid data, equipped the team to make changes in how they reach out to Insiders.<\/p>\n

Although my background supports the unique methods I use to sharpen qualitative data, it doesn\u2019t include formal training in research methodologies. This is where adaptability comes in, a skill that my experience in the field has honed.<\/p>\n

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To get to where I am, I\u2019ve taken the transferable fundamentals I know well \u2014 such as the scientific method\u2014and applied them in the context of user research, always learning.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Leveraging diversity for impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

My research team at Microsoft works together, pooling our strengths. We have researchers with backgrounds in computer science, chemical engineering, neuroscience, nursing, public policy, market research, instructional design, and communications, to name just a few. We put a great deal of emphasis on promoting workplace diversity, using a definition that includes how people communicate and problem-solve<\/a>.\u00a0When we engage with our different perspectives and skill sets, we are able to triangulate and build a richer understanding of customers.<\/p>\n

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This is the message I share when I speak to students in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields who want reassurance about their future, as I did at recent events for the University of Washington\u00a0Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) Program<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Electrical and Computer Engineering Department<\/a>. When students ask how they can prepare for a career in industry, I\u2019m glad I can honestly advise them to pursue their own interests. I tell them the technical training they\u2019re getting will make them an asset.<\/p>\n

How do the diverse backgrounds on your research team empower you? Let us know. Tweet us @MicrosoftRI<\/a> or like us on Facebook<\/a> and join the conversation!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jessica Tran spearheads the growth of internal tools for engineers to connect with customers at scale in product engagement funnels to realize the customer-driven culture at Microsoft. Other research projects of hers include applying the scientific method with big data analysis and customer feedback to understand perceived risk, customer retention, and growth of the Windows Insider Program. Jessica is passionate about women pursuing STEM careers, having earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Washington. She holds five patents (three focused on making gaming more accessible) and is an avid half-marathon and marathon runner.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How can a degree in engineering create more diversity and inclusion in the field of user research? By bridging the gap between these disciplines, this author explores how diverse perspectives\u2014beyond just gender and ethnic backgrounds\u2014can lead to better communications and more meaningful data. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39057,"featured_media":666042,"template":"","meta":{"msr-url-field":"","msr-podcast-episode":"","msrModifiedDate":"","msrModifiedDateEnabled":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","msr-content-parent":616842,"msr_hide_image_in_river":0,"footnotes":""},"research-area":[],"msr-locale":[268875],"msr-post-option":[],"class_list":["post-665991","msr-blog-post","type-msr-blog-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","msr-locale-en_us"],"msr_assoc_parent":{"id":616842,"type":"group"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-blog-post\/665991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-blog-post"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/msr-blog-post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39057"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-blog-post\/665991\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":666081,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-blog-post\/665991\/revisions\/666081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/666042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"msr-research-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research-area?post=665991"},{"taxonomy":"msr-locale","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-locale?post=665991"},{"taxonomy":"msr-post-option","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-post-option?post=665991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}