It comes down to the problem!
That was the key takeaway from the guest lecture we had at our department last week, by Achyutha Sharma, the head of UX Research at Flipkart.
Many skills make a good researcher, but an important skill is the ability to ask the right questions and break them down into answerable ones. Other skills that Achyutha emphasized included research rigor, analytical thinking, and critical thinking. He also shared his experience influencing stakeholders for the importance of qualitative research when solving product problems.
For their semester-long qualitative research projects, our students have been asking some fairly evocative questions like…
💲 How do men perceive the monetization design features of dating apps?
📖 How do students perceive the information they receive as they grapple with decision-making about their careers?
🎯 How do Indian game studios tread the delicate balance between AAA aspirations and telling “authentically Indian” stories?
🏋♂️ How do men engage with the “fitness aesthetic” on social media, and what does it mean for their body image?
and others!