Remember that you’re in a research situation, not a coffee shop! While you want to be a kind host and make the participant feel at ease, it can be a slippery slope from friendly banter to some other situations listed in this book—like a participant flirting with you, or starting to ask for your opinion. Plus, that constant friendly conversation can distract the participant from approaching his workflow in a natural way, which leads to potential biases in your results.

 Adapt your moderating style to help establish a more formal tone for the session. If you’re being too friendly with your words, tone, and body language, try to disengage from the participant and move toward more of a Down to Business style (as discussed in section 1.5). Make slightly less eye contact, avoid laughing or smiling too much, and consciously try to listen instead of responding conversationally.

 As part of disengaging from the participant, consider changing where you moderate from. If you’re running a usability study or contextual inquiry, and are sitting beside the participant, try moving slightly behind him so that it’s harder for him to turn around and look at you. Or if you’re in a lab with a separate control room that has a microphone, consider moderating from that room instead.

 Try to stick closely to your study plan, and use gentle redirection to more questions or tasks when the participant attempts to be friendly.

 “That sounds like an interesting story! I don’t want to get us off task, though, so why don’t we move on to.…”

 “I’d like to hear more about that later. Let’s go back to the point you made earlier here.…”

 “I’m just going to scoot my chair behind you so that I can watch what you’re doing.”

 “For the next few tasks, I’m going to run next door and facilitate from there so I don’t distract you. I’ll have a microphone so I can talk to you, and I will be able to hear you and see what you’re doing.”

 Don’t change your demeanor too abruptly, as this may make the participant uncomfortable. Try subtle changes instead. For example, don’t change your tone and move your chair behind the participant at the same time—do one first, followed by the other a few minutes later.

 Don’t be rude about redirecting the participant back to the task/questions. If it comes naturally to you, sometimes some gentle humor may help. For example, “I’m having a great time here but we’ll never get anything done if we keep talking! I’m going to go into serious mode now so that we can stay focused.”

 If you’re not paying attention, it can feel like this situation sneaks up on you. So, if you get any indication that your participant is very friendly upon meeting him, start the session with a more serious, formal style to minimize the chances of having to adapt later.

 12.4 Participant tells you something personal

 13.2 You know the participant, or the participant knows you

 13.4 Participant flirts with you

 For material that is mildly embarrassing but not confidential (e.g., a chat window or a browser window open to a nonwork-related website), ask the participant to hide or close out of anything that he doesn’t want a wider audience to see. This subtle reminder is usually enough for the participant to realize what he’s doing and close out of the problematic windows. Keep in mind that the participant will probably feel fairly embarrassed by the situation once he realizes what has happened, so don’t draw any unnecessary attention to it.

 If the participant ignores your subtle reminder, be more explicit about what you’re seeing without specifying the content. For example, you might say, “It looks like your email application is open. Could you close it to make sure we don’t see anything we’re not supposed to?”

 If you see material that’s confidential (e.g., employee salary information or SSNs):

 Consider immediately overriding the screen-sharing session to force him to stop sharing, or to eject him from the meeting (if your screen-sharing tool has that capability). Then, ask the participant to make sure that he closes anything on his computer that he doesn’t want a wider audience to see. Once he has verified that he has done this, you can restart the screen sharing.

 If you don’t have the ability to override screen sharing, immediately ask the participant to close the window with the confidential information. Let the participant know how he can stop sharing his screen if you think he might need a few extra seconds to deal with the offending material.

 If, despite your reminders, the participant continues to share windows that he shouldn’t, consider blaming technical difficulties with the screen sharing and then refocusing the research into an interview or other form of research that doesn’t require screen sharing. If you have a way to easily continue the session without having the participant share his screen (e.g., by sharing your screen instead and giving the participant control of your applications), continue with the session that way.

 Any time you remind the participant to close out of sensitive materials, try to do so in a way that isn’t scolding or embarrassing. Take the responsibility for not being clear enough about these precautions earlier in the session and remind him that it’s for his own privacy.

 Remind your observers about maintaining participant confidentiality. Ask them not to laugh or discuss what they’ve seen with other observers or anyone outside of the test.

 “<Participant>, I just want to remind you that your screen is currently being shared, so please make sure you’ve closed anything you don’t want us to see. Can I bring your attention back to…?”

 “Before we continue, would you mind closing the other applications and windows that are open on your computer (that aren’t relevant to <task/research>)? Since you’re sharing your screen, I want to be sensitive of your privacy and make sure you’re only sharing what you intend to share with us. If you need a moment to close things that you don’t want us to see, you can click Stop Sharing, and then Start Sharing again when you’re ready.”

 “<Participant>, I’m just going to stop the sharing for a second. Bear with me. I stopped the sharing because I noticed that there was potentially personal information on your screen. I should have warned you beforehand, sorry. We respect your privacy so I’ll ask you to close or hide anything you wouldn’t want a wider audience to see.”

 “I’m sorry to have you start sharing and then stop it abruptly. What we’re going to do now is switch modes slightly. I’m going to start by asking you some questions.”

 “I know this could make for a good story, but we take participant confidentiality and comfort seriously. So I’ll ask you to try not to make fun of the participant or discuss what you saw, either in or outside of this room. Thanks for understanding.”

 Don’t blame or accuse the participant of anything based on what you saw. It’s best to pretend as if nothing happened.

 Don’t come across as condescending or judgmental based on what you see. For example, if the participant has computer wallpaper that you would consider not safe for work, ask him to hide anything he doesn’t want everyone to see, or if he needs more direction, ask him to change his wallpaper to something less distracting. Use directives more than descriptions—for example, don’t say “your wallpaper is inappropriate.”

 Avoid being snide. Even though your feelings may be hurt by a participant’s lack of attention to your study goals, move past it and work on getting the participant back into the session.

 Before you have the participant share his screen, remind him that the session will be recorded and/or observed by others. Ask him to close or hide anything that he wouldn’t want a wider audience to see.

 Explore your screen-sharing tool’s capabilities so you know what options are available to you in case you need to stop a participant from sharing, or eject him (or an observer) from a meeting.

 11.1 Remote participant is obviously distracted

 12.6 You have to point out something potentially embarrassing

 14.8 Participant’s environment contains dangerous items

 If a participant is honest about why he’s distracted, make a judgment call based on the severity of the issue. Once again we emphasize that comfort is your first priority.

 If something very big happened (e.g., he got into an accident, a family member is ill, he seems upset about something personal, etc.), offer him the compensation and let him leave to take care of the situation.

 If he insists on moving forward with the session, take a short break so he has a chance to cool off, and then start with the session. However, monitor him closely and plan to end early, especially if he still seems distraught. It’s unethical to put a participant through an entire session when he’s obviously in emotional distress.

 If the cause is on a smaller scale (e.g., he ran full speed to be there on time, he just came from a stressful meeting, etc.), offer to take a quick break before starting the session. If he refuses but obviously would benefit from a couple extra minutes, consider taking it into your own hands and tell him that you could use more time to get set up anyway. Offer him a beverage and a comfortable place to relax, away from observers. Let him unwind so that when he starts the session, he is ready to listen and concentrate.

 Once the participant starts the session, you might need to speak more slowly and deliberately so that he can absorb your information and questions. Reiterate or reword questions if it seems like he’s not giving you undivided attention.

 “I’m sorry to hear that. If you aren’t feeling up to the session, I completely understand and <we can reschedule/you can leave if you need to>.”

 “It seems like you have a lot going on. We’re not in an immediate rush. How about I get set up and you take about 5 or 10 minutes to relax? Would you like a beverage?”

 “I could actually use more time to set up, so why don’t you take a few minutes to relax and get settled, and I’ll be with you in a bit.”

 “I just wanted to check in quickly and make sure you’re doing alright and are okay proceeding with the session? Remember that you can take a break or leave at any time.”

 Try not to invade a participant’s privacy. Even if the participant tells you something of a personal nature, do not follow up with more detailed questions about his personal life. Respect his privacy and focus on getting information you need to decide whether and how to move forward.

 Just like we can’t avoid distracting situations in our own life, we can’t expect participants to avoid them in theirs.

 11.1 Remote participant is obviously distracted

 12.4 Participant tells you something personal

 12.7 Participant seems upset

 Survival Story: “She was so appreciative” in Chapter 6

 If the participant is unnecessarily giving away personal information such as financial information because he thinks it’s necessary for the study (e.g., while interacting with a financial application), ask him immediately not to share any personal data. Go back to the notes and recording and make sure that any of that information is deleted or masked.

 If you’re performing research in a sensitive subject area, you should be expecting to hear a participant’s personal stories. Remember to remain empathetic as he answers your questions, and be sensitive if you probe on his answers or ask follow-up questions. Thank him sincerely for his feedback.

 If the feedback provided by the participant affects you deeply on a personal level (e.g., because you’ve had similar experiences), remember to keep the focus on the participant instead of sharing your story. You want the participant to feel safe and respected, and interjecting your experiences takes the focus away from the importance of his feedback.

 If the participant starts telling you a personal story that seems to be affecting him emotionally, let him finish the story, and then gently redirect him to the task at hand. For example, if you asked a participant to tell you how long ago he opened a checking account and he responds with a story about how he and his late wife chose it together, listen to him respectfully until he finishes the story. Thank him for his answer, and ask if he’s okay continuing to the next section or if he’d like to take a short break.

 Sometimes life just gets in the way, and a participant becomes distracted or upset over a personal situation. Handling this is a fine balance between comforting the participant and hijacking the session to listen to his issues. In these cases, start by taking a short break. Walk the participant out of the observed/recorded study area to see if he is okay and give him time to recover.

 If the participant is telling you something personal but doesn’t seem emotionally fragile about it, consider its context and whether it becomes a recurring problem. For example, a participant may respond, “I watch a lot of pornography” in response to being asked about website usage. Although it is likely considered socially taboo, the participant was just answering a question and it was the only comment he made that was too much information (TMI!). In those cases, try not to react and just continue with the session. If, instead, the participant starts telling a longer personal story or goes into excessive amounts of detail, consider reminding him that he’s being recorded or observed and redirect him back to the topic being discussed.

 “<Participant>, please use fake information rather than your own here. We want to respect your privacy.”

 “Okay. Let’s move on to…” or “Let me ask you about.…”

 “Okay, thank you for that. Are you okay continuing to the next <task/question>?”

 “I’m sorry to interrupt. I just want to remind you that we’re recording the session and there may be people listening in, so let’s stay focused on the original topic. Unless there’s anything else that you want us to know, let’s move onto.…”

 “Why don’t we take a little break and step outside for a couple of minutes.”

 (In private): “I don’t want you to continue the session if you’re feeling uncomfortable. Why don’t we end the session for today?”

 Don’t ignore any signs of emotional distress from the participant.

 Even if you’re intrigued, avoid expressing interest in any stories that involve very personal information unless the story is relevant to your research goals. The participant may take your interest as license to overshare more and it may be harder to pull him back to your scripted questions.

 For research involving sensitive topics, such as using a website about cancer, consider whether you need to recruit participants who have firsthand experience with the topic. In some cases it may make sense to do so, but in others you may want to actively screen out participants who are likely to experience distress because of the subject matter (e.g., family members of someone who has died of cancer).

 12.1 Participant is extremely entertaining and friendly

 12.3 Participant is obviously distracted by external circumstances

 If the participant has a physical attribute that you find distracting (e.g., a birthmark or a very large mole), avoid staring at it. Remember to make eye contact with him!

 For a participant who is exhibiting a behavior such as sweating or nose picking, offer him something to alleviate his condition without calling direct attention to what he’s doing. For example, if your participant is picking his nose, offer him a tissue. If you feel awkward doing even that, try taking a tissue yourself and using it to blow your nose. People tend to sometimes mirror behavior in those types of situations. If your participant is sweating heavily, ask him if the room is a comfortable temperature—if he says that he’s warm, offer to open the door or lower the thermostat (if possible), and get him some water to drink.

 The participant may give you a reason for his attribute (e.g., he may have a medical condition, or a female participant may say she’s experiencing hot flashes). When the participant gives you this information, maintain a neutral expression and tone, and offer to accommodate him however you’re able.

 For behavior that you find unsanitary or distracting that continues throughout the session, do your best to avoid watching. If you become very uncomfortable by it, end the session early using a pretext such as technical difficulties.

 If the participant seems uncomfortable, even after you’ve done your best to accommodate him, take a break to see if that helps. If the break doesn’t help, and the participant still seems too uncomfortable to provide useful feedback, gently end the session early.

 “Would you like a tissue?”

 “It feels a little warm in here. How is the temperature for you? I want to make sure that you’re comfortable.”

 Don’t call direct attention to whatever you’re finding distracting about the participant.

 There is no way to avoid this. Instead, be prepared to be respectful and empathetic toward your participants, no matter what they look or act like.

 4.3 Participant has an unexpected physical feature

 12.6 You have to point out something potentially embarrassing

 Turn off your recording equipment, and if you have any observers, bring the participant into a more private space.

 Once in a private space where you and the participant cannot be overheard, kindly let him know about the embarrassing situation. Then, give him a private moment to address the situation, or direct him to the nearest restroom if he may need more privacy.

 If the participant seems embarrassed when he returns to the session, reassure him that it’s okay, and make sure he’s comfortable before resuming any recording or observing.

 “Excuse me, <participant>, I’m going to stop our recording equipment for just a moment. Could I ask you to step out into the hall with me?”

 “I just want to let you know that <embarrassing situation>, so you have a chance to address it before we continue the session.”

 Avoid pointing out the embarrassing item while on camera, or in front of observers.

 While there is no way to avoid this happening, try to do a quick check of yourself and the participant before you start recording.

 12.2 Something personal, inappropriate, or confidential is visible

 Immediately stop any recording of the session and let the participant know that you’re putting the session on hold. For example, “I’ve turned off our recording equipment—let’s take a short break from these questions.”

 If you have in-room observers, quietly ask them to leave the room.

 Offer the participant a tissue if you have a box available—you can do this without speaking, just by sliding the box toward him. If there is a more private room available, offer to bring the participant there.

 Gently ask the participant if he’d like to leave the session early. Let him know that he is under no obligation to continue, that you appreciate the feedback he has provided so far, and that he’ll still receive his full compensation. If he says he wants to continue, go ahead and resume but plan to end the session early.

 If the participant is too upset to answer your questions and leaves the building, do not follow him. Instead, make sure that he is able to get back in the building (e.g., depending on your setup you may have to notify a security desk that he may return). If he never returns, follow up with your recruiter to find a way to provide the participant with his compensation, and also to thank him for the feedback provided.

 If the participant offers a reason for being upset that has to do with the session setup (e.g., he’s nervous about being observed by people in another room), immediately offer to resolve those issues, and ask him if he’d be comfortable continuing if those issues are resolved. For example, you may turn off your observation equipment for that session. However, as mentioned earlier, remind the participant that he’s under no obligation to continue and that if he’s more comfortable leaving the session early, he’s free to do so.

 If the participant explains that he’s upset about something outside of the session (e.g., a family situation), offer to reschedule the session for a different time.

 “<Participant>, why don’t we take a few minutes and step into the room next door? It’s more private in there.”

 “I’ve turned off our recording equipment so no one is able to see or hear us right now. Let’s take a break for a few minutes.”

 “I just want to remind you that you’re under no obligation to continue with the session. You’ve given us very helpful feedback so far, and we really appreciate it. If you’d like to leave now or at any point, you’ll still receive your full compensation. Please just let me know.”

 “I don’t want you to continue the session if you’re feeling upset or uncomfortable. You can stop the session at any time, so just let me know. Is there anything I can do to help make you more comfortable?”

 Do not ignore the participant’s emotional state!

 Don’t touch the participant, even if you think a pat on the shoulder or a hug would provide comfort! Touching a participant violates ethical boundaries and may make the situation worse since you don’t know how a stranger will react to being touched.

 Don’t directly say, “Why are you upset?” even if you’re curious. This might make the participant feel like you called him out, which can make the situation worse.

 Try not to have the participant make a decision about continuing the session in front of observers.

 Situations like this rarely come from nowhere. Nervous or uncomfortable participants may become more so throughout the session if their concerns are not accommodated. Be responsive and aware of your participant’s emotional state throughout the session and react quickly to any signs of emotional distress. This awareness and quick action will help keep a situation from deteriorating to tears.

 At the beginning of the session, genuinely reassure the participant that he’s not being tested. This comfort can be effective even for a participant who’s distracted by external circumstances.

 8.3 Participant looks or sounds uncomfortable and/or nervous

 12.3 Participant is obviously distracted by external circumstances

 12.4 Participant tells you something personal

 First, assess whether the participant’s limitation prevents him from participating as planned. With some types of visual impairment, the user can adjust a computer monitor’s settings (e.g., font size and contrast) to accommodate his level of vision. A participant with an auditory impairment will probably have brought some kind of assistive hearing device, or can read lips. However, a legally blind participant who relies on a screen reader to use a computer won’t able to use a computer that doesn’t have a screen reader (e.g., Jaws) or magnifier (e.g., ZoomText).

 If you don’t feel like you can proceed as planned with the participant, decide if it’s appropriate to shift the focus of the research to still gain value from the session. For example, move to an interview instead of a usability study of a prototype. This shift will be most appropriate in formative studies, but depending on your client and your research goals, it may also work for other types of research. Sometimes just going into more depth with your normal background questions can yield valuable results.

 If the participant hasn’t brought up his limitations, but you notice him squinting at a monitor or moving closer to the screen, gently let him know that you noticed him adjusting, and ask if there’s anything that you can do to make the screen easier for him to read.

 If your participant brought a service animal, ask if there’s anything specific that you should do or not do for the animal. Most animals are well trained and will quietly sit by the participant during the session.

 Likewise, ask the participant if there’s anything you should or shouldn’t do to accommodate his needs. For example, blind participants and others with walking challenges sometimes appreciate when they’re offered an arm for them to hold onto while walking, whereas others prefer to rely on their walking stick or service animal.

 Keep in mind that users with physical impairments are often more difficult (and expensive) to recruit, so do your best to take advantage of the situation to provide your client team with feedback that they may not get otherwise.

 If you’re unable to proceed with the participant and have to let him go (or end the session early), be sure to provide him with his full compensation.

 “I see you have a service animal with you. Is there anything that you need me to do, or not do, for your animal during our session?”

 “You mentioned that you have some issues with your vision. Tell me about the issues you have, and about the setup you have at home to accommodate those issues.”

 “I noticed that you seem to be squinting at the monitor. Is there anything I can adjust on it to make it easier for you to read? Feel free to move your chair closer to the monitor as well if that helps.”

 “I want to be accommodating and respectful of your vision. Is there anything in particular you prefer that I help with or not help with while you’re here?”

 Don’t make adjustments to your setup without checking with the participant first. You would just be making assumptions about what will work for him.

 Likewise, do not make assumptions about what the participant will need in terms of physical assistance. You don’t want to come across as patronizing or make things more difficult. Just honestly ask him what he prefers that you help and don’t help with.

 Don’t pet or try to play with a service animal. They’re on duty!

 Most participants with any kind of limitation will mention it during the screening process, so you’ll usually have a heads up from the recruiter. However, if the participant doesn’t mention it ahead of time and still meets your recruit criteria, there’s a good chance he’s still part of your target audience, so anything you can do to accommodate him will yield interesting results—that is, this may not be a situation you want to avoid.

 If there are very specific reasons why you can’t have someone with a physical limitation (e.g., an eye-tracking study), include the criteria you need in the screener. For example, for eye-tracking studies, we include in our screener a question asking if the respondent uses bifocals, trifocals, or hard contact lenses—if he does, he is ineligible to participate. We recommend running your screener by an institutional review board (IRB) to ensure that your wording is nondiscriminatory.

 To learn more about conducting sessions with special populations, we recommend reviewing the “Interacting with Diverse Populations” chapter in Dumas and Loring (2008).

 4.3 Participant has an unexpected physical feature

 5.8 Participant brings a child or pet to the session