#27 Making negative statements vs. asking questions
There's something that UX Researchers do during their user sessions that could be valuable for your communication
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
Working in interdisciplinary teams often leads to disagreements as each group strives to achieve their objectives efficiently. These clashes can occur across disciplines or even within the same team. When communicating in such situations, you have two choices:
Make a negative statement, such as "I don't think X is true. I believe Y is inaccurate."
Ask a clarification question, like "What do you mean by Y? How does X make sense for you in relation to Z?"
By asking a question first, you pace yourself and avoid jumping to conclusions. More importantly, you allow the other person to consider a new perspective and incorporate that information into their thought process.
This approach is valuable in written communication, where misunderstandings can arise more easily due to the lack of body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions.
Asking questions instead of making negative statements can be applied to both written and verbal communication.
We UX Researchers often employ this technique during user sessions to gather valuable insights. By asking clarifying questions, we encourage participants to elaborate on their thoughts and provide more context.
Borrow from UX Researchers for your team communication so that you can help resolve conflicts and foster a more collaborative environment.
What are your thoughts on this approach? I'm curious to hear your perspective. Feel free to DM me.
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