What Does it Mean to be a Resilient Research Team?
Summary
As User Researchers, particularly working on sensitive public services, we need to be able to adapt, respond and grow. User Research is a demanding role, it can be mentally and emotionally draining. Adding to this are new challenges being thrown at us, be it COVID-19 or on-going digital advancement. This session therefore, looks at the constant - ourselves and our teams. This isn't about predicting the future, it is about preparing for it. As a researcher and a research team we are our own best asset. This isn't about patting ourselves on the back, but recognising that regardless of the context or tools involved in the future we are people-first not technology-first. It is also about addressing the impact the role can have on our own well-being and how to manage the difficult days. This session outlines some of techniques and approaches we have used as a team to better support each other in challenges, and how this has help made us more resilient, responsive and overall, better user researchers.
Key Insights
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Resilience is not just an individual trait but shaped significantly by nurture, including organizational support and team culture.
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User research with vulnerable populations demands high emotional bandwidth, requiring special care for researchers as well as participants.
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Implementing an 'explanation not needed' approach for opting out of projects empowers researchers to avoid triggers without stigma.
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Mental health first aiders within teams provide immediate peer support but take on additional emotional burdens themselves.
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Specialist training in trauma-informed research and crisis response improves team preparedness and protects both participants and researchers.
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A close-knit team culture offers essential peer support but risks overburdening certain individuals if not carefully managed.
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Clear, transparent communication channels—both open and anonymous—are critical for researchers to safely raise concerns without fear of burdening others.
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Organizational processes should include project decompression windows to allow researchers to recharge between emotionally demanding projects.
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Sustainability requires respecting individual work patterns and autonomy, allowing flexible schedules and respecting boundaries.
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Leadership must actively limit excessive workloads and set realistic expectations, recognizing that 'good enough' can be acceptable to prevent burnout.
Notable Quotes
"Even though we’re user researchers, we’re not looking at digital products — our users often include people suffering homelessness, addiction, or trauma."
"Empathy is our greatest asset but it takes up a lot of emotional bandwidth that we must consciously manage."
"It’s not on researchers to simply be resilient — systems and structures need to adapt and support them."
"We introduced an 'explanation not needed' approach so researchers can decline projects without having to justify themselves."
"Mental health first aiders take on responsibility beyond their role, so we must consider how this affects them."
"Close-knit teams are valuable but can hide unfair emotional labor burdens, especially along gender or racial lines."
"We must keep communication channels open and multiple — including anonymous ones — so people feel safe to speak up."
"Sometimes good enough is good enough — we can’t always give 110% without risking sustainability."
"It’s critical to create space between projects so teams can decompress; jumping from one trauma-heavy project to another isn’t sustainable."
"Researchers are professionals; we need to set clear expectations but then trust them to do their jobs effectively."
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