Failure as a UX Method: Redefining Research Success
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Key Learnings
- Learn how to distinguish between “failed” research and research that meaningfully changed the direction of a problem.
- Learn practical ways to extract insight from studies that disproved hypotheses, stalled, or produced uncomfortable results.
- Learn how to reframe and communicate research failure so it strengthens credibility, decision-making, and research culture.
Speakers
Speaker: Ben Anyasodo
Profession: Head of Research
Workplace: BBA Consulting
Description
UX research rarely goes exactly as planned. Recruitment collapses, methods don’t fit the problem, results come back unclear, or carefully crafted insights never influence decisions. These moments are often hidden away as embarrassing missteps rather than recognised as valuable sources of learning. Too often, research that disproves a hypothesis or hits a dead end is quietly shelved as a failure, when for multidisciplinary researchers these moments are often richer in data than a seamless success. In this talk, I share real cases from my own research practice where things went wrong, and what those failures ultimately revealed. From operational breakdowns and interpretive dead ends to impact failures with stakeholders, I unpack how each misstep exposed blind spots in process, communication, and problem framing. Rather than treating failure as something to avoid or explain away, this session reframes it as a core part of doing meaningful UX research. By examining what didn’t work, we can redefine what research success looks like and build more resilient, reflective, and impactful practice.