Presented by Gretchen McNeely. As UX professionals, we're constantly focused on "why" — why people do what they do, why certain things are important to them. What we sometimes don't realize is that by directly asking "why" — of consumers, of our work colleagues, of our family members — we build walls and evoke defensiveness. The good news is that there are many easy ways to get at the open and personal communication we seek without using the word "why" in our inquiry. Once you try it out, you'll see an amazing difference in your UX work, as a professional, and as a spouse or parent.