A trauma-informed approach to sensitive design research.

Imagine interviewing a cancer patient about their medical journey. Would you approach the conversation differently from your typical user interview? How would you navigate sensitive topics like diagnosis and treatment without upsetting them? These questions underscore the importance of trauma-informed practice in research settings. By prioritising emotional safety and well-being, researchers can foster trust, empower participants, and elicit deeper insights while avoiding re-traumatisation.
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Defining Trauma-Informed Practice.

Trauma-informed practice is rooted in a holistic understanding of how trauma impacts individuals' neurological, biological, physical, and social well-being. It aims to create an environment that is safe, supportive, empowering, and sensitive to individuals’ needs. Initially developed within healthcare, particularly in mental health and substance abuse treatment, trauma-informed care principles have transcended disciplinary boundaries to encompass diverse industries, including human-centred design.
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Principles of Trauma-Informed Practice:

• Safety: Participants should feel physically and psychologically secure throughout the research process.
• Trust: Building and maintaining trust is essential for fostering open communication and collaboration.
• Collaboration: Balancing power dynamics empowers participants and ensures their active involvement in the research process.
• Choice: Offering participants autonomy and agency in decision-making respects their individual preferences and boundaries.
• Empowerment: Recognising and validating participants’ strengths promotes a sense of self-efficacy and resilience.
• Diversity: Acknowledging and respecting the diverse ways in which trauma can be experienced enhances inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in research practices.

The importance of Trauma-Informed Practice in Design Research.

Trauma-informed practice can help us to engage ethically with participants. As researchers, we have a duty of care to participants to be sensitive of potential triggers and avoid re-traumatisation. By prioritising their safety and well-being, researchers create environments conducive to open dialogue and genuine collaboration. This cultivates trust, facilitates deeper empathy, and yields richer insights into users' needs, preferences, and experiences.

Strategies for implementing trauma-informed practice principles.

Choice.

Let participants guide the structure: Before an interview, provide participants with an overview of the topics to be discussed and allow them to choose the order of discussion.

Provide multiple ways to contribute: Offer various mediums for participants to share their thoughts and experiences, such as written responses, drawings, or verbal contributions.

Provide choice of facilitator: In situations where gender dynamics may impact participant comfort, offer the option for participants to choose the gender of their facilitator. This can help mitigate potential discomfort or triggers related to past experiences.
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Safety.

Ensure emotional safety: Let participants know they can decline discussing any topic that makes them uncomfortable. Create a supportive environment where participants feel safe expressing their boundaries without fear of judgment.

Minimise triggers: Conduct a pre-session assessment to identify potential triggers for participants and make necessary adjustments to the research environment. This may include controlling for sensory stimuli such as noise levels, adjusting seating arrangements, or designing activities to be suitable for the people in the room.
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Trust.

Perform a simple act of kindness: Incorporate small gestures of kindness, such as offering participants a cup of tea or water upon arrival. This simple act can help create a welcoming atmosphere and demonstrate care and hospitality.

Empathetic listening: Practice active listening techniques, such as reflective listening and validation, to demonstrate empathy and understanding towards participants' experiences and perspectives. The participants feelings should occupy most of the time and space in the room.
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Collaboration.

Empower participants as experts: Acknowledge and validate participants' expertise as individuals with lived experiences relevant to the research topic. Frame the research as a collaborative exercise where participants' insights and contributions are valued and integral to the co-creation process.

Create a balanced power dynamic: Foster an environment of mutual respect and collaboration by balancing power dynamics between researchers and participants. This can involve wearing casual attire, using informal language, and encouraging participants to take on active roles in decision-making and problem-solving processes.

Involve participants in the design process: Provide opportunities for co-design and co-creation, where participants collaborate with researchers to develop and refine solutions that address their needs, challenges, and priorities.
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Empowerment.

Focus on strengths and networks: Start sensitive conversations by highlighting participants' strengths, resilience, and support networks. Where appropriate, emphasise their existing coping mechanisms and resources to foster a sense of empowerment and agency in navigating their experiences.

Gradually approach sensitive topics: Begin discussions by exploring less triggering or traumatic aspects of participants' experiences before gradually transitioning to more sensitive topics. This gradual approach helps build rapport and trust while minimising the risk of overwhelming or re-traumatising participants.
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Diversity.

Diverse recruitment: Ensure diversity and representation in participant recruitment efforts by actively seeking out individuals from various backgrounds, demographics, and lived experiences relevant to the research topic.

Be culturally sensitive: Acknowledge and respect participants cultural values and beliefs.
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Changing the way we do research.

As design researchers, we have a unique opportunity to transform our practice and create more inclusive, empathetic, and effective research experiences. By incorporating trauma-informed principles into our work, we can gather richer insights while ensuring the well-being of our participants. If you're looking to elevate your research approach and make a meaningful impact, consider integrating these strategies into your next project.

If you need help implementing trauma-informed practices in design research, get in touch. We’d love to connect and explore how we can create more empathetic, ethical, and insightful research experiences together.