Rachel Rodney
Rachel Rodney
UX Researcher and Ph.D. Student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Rachel is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, investigating information seeking practices on inclusive design in UX. Rachel is a research assistant in the Equity in the Making Lab, and the author of “Our Exclusive Society: Pathways Toward Inclusion by Design.”
Breaking the Research Paradigm: Unlearning Biases and Fostering Inclusive User Experiences
Common UX research methods emerge from euro-centric, patriarchal ideologies and can, unfortunately, perpetuate colonialist and anti-feminist values in research. In this presentation, Rachel will guide the audience through the socio-political origins of simulating experiences to reveal how UX researchers can break away from common pitfalls embedded in this method. Intentionally unlearning and reformulating UX methodology is crucial in assessing how simulating experiences shapes perception of user knowledge.
This presentation responds to larger conversations around ethical design with growing concerns on research methods that prioritize user agency, minimizes biases, and respects privacy. Join Rachel to unravel the impact of colonialist and anti-feminist values in UX research, empowering us towards ethical practice.