Research The Researcher S01C10 feat Ciarán Duffy
Name and a brief intro about yourself…
Ciarán Duffy — Independent UX & Service Designer.
I’m currently working on challenges in the Humanitarian Space, working with INGOs and organizations in the Middle East on an accountability platform
Current place of work
Independent. I have an office in Berlin.
Designation/role/title
UX & Service Designer
What you up to? (any interesting work or project you want to talk about)
Conducting Research in Iraq with affected people. Visualizing new ideas and getting feedback from humanitarian workers around the world.
How and Why did you get into User Research?
It was a core part of my training and something I really enjoy. I love meeting new people and trying to understand how they think
One book recommendation for those who want to get started in User Research (can also be a book which you often refer to)
This is Service Design Thinking
What skills do you look for when hiring Researchers? (or what skills you think Researchers should have)
Good interviewing skills, ability to build an empathetic understanding of somebody else in a very different position.
Good design rationale, ability to create insights that are actually meaningful.
What value does User Research add to Product Design & Development? (if any examples where User Research created an impact, that would be great)
Knowledge in what to build, what features to include, what features to prioritize. I worked on an X-Ray machine remote control where Research was instrumental in deciding what features we would include
How do you grow as a Researcher? (what should Researchers do to stay valuable)
Read about new methods, read about new domains for applying design, delve into social sciences, practice what you preach, attend conferences, ensure that your work has substance and it doesn’t remain vague for too long
Thanks, Ciaran for your insights! Ciaran is on LinkedIn.
Past conversations —
