User research isn’t always about uncovering hidden insights or running slick workshops. Sometimes it’s about being the person in the room who single-handedly ruins the vibe.
That moment when leadership are patting themselves on the back for a “brilliant idea” that came out of a whiteboard session, not a single user conversation. An idea that won’t solve a real problem — and might actually make things worse. That’s when you, the researcher, have to raise a hand and say: “Hang on a minute…”
It’s not glamorous. It’s not fun. And it definitely doesn’t win you friends. At one particular project (we’ll call it [REDACTED]), I pushed back so hard that, let’s just say, I’m not holding my breath for a Christmas card…
But here’s the thing: sometimes, pushing back is the only way to do the job properly.
The Scene at [REDACTED]
We were being told to implement solutions that looked shiny on paper but had zero basis in research. Worse, we knew they’d create fresh problems — not fix existing ones. The plan was basically to ship something we already knew was flawed. Service owners wanted to lift and shift, not acknowledging the existing process was hanging on by a thread.
Meanwhile, product and delivery weren’t backing us. Instead of surfacing the real issues, someone was busy “fluffing” stakeholders. Smiles in meetings. Plenty of reassuring words. But no honesty about what wasn’t working. “Just get on with it, submit the timesheet and keep quiet.”
So when I stepped in with evidence — direct quotes, observations, data — the contrast was stark. Suddenly the room wasn’t full of polite nods. It was full of raised eyebrows. And I became that guy.
Lesson 1: Anchor to Evidence
If you’re going to push back, you’d better bring receipts. Otherwise, it’s just you versus the HiPPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion). Spoiler: the HiPPO usually wins.
At [REDACTED], I made sure every challenge I raised was backed with something real:
Quotes that cut straight through the noise.
Patterns that showed it wasn’t just one person’s gripe.
Hard data that mapped exactly where things were breaking.
It wasn’t “Jason disagrees.” It was: “Here’s what users said, here’s how often they said it, and here’s what happens if we ignore it.”
That doesn’t always win the room. But at least you’re not fighting on vibes alone.
Lesson 2: Consequences Beat Principles
Telling leadership “this isn’t user-centred” will get you a polite nod at best but more typically a blank look before they pivot back to their original plan. It’s too abstract.
Telling leadership “this will triple failed logins, spike complaints, and treble the workload of your call centre staff” is harder to ignore.
When you frame pushback in terms of organisational pain — cost, efficiency, risk, reputation — people suddenly sit up straighter. You don’t stop talking about users, but you connect their experience directly to the stuff leadership cares about. That’s the language that cuts through.
Lesson 3: Don’t Expect to Be Popular
Here’s the honest bit: even when you’re right, you might not be welcome back.
At [REDACTED], I left knowing I’d done the right thing for users. I also knew the leadership team probably had a dartboard with my face on it. And honestly? That’s fine.
Because our job isn’t to keep stakeholders smiling in meetings. Our job is to make sure services actually work for humans. And sometimes that means being the slightly awkward person at the table who says: “Nope. This is a bad idea.”
The Awkward Art of Tactical Pushback
Pushing back doesn’t mean being a prick. Tone matters. Timing matters. Delivery matters. You need a bit of tact, a bit of empathy, and occasionally, a sense of humour.
A few tactics I’ve learned the hard way:
Lead with empathy. Acknowledge why the idea sounds good before you dismantle it.
Offer alternatives. Don’t just say “no” — point to something better that works for both users and the business.
Pick your battles. Push back on everything and you’re background noise. Save your firepower for when it counts.
Done well, you’re not “the difficult one.” You’re the honest broker in the room.
The Big Takeaway
Pushing back isn’t about ego. It’s about integrity. It’s about knowing when a decision will actively harm users, and having the backbone to challenge it — even if it makes you unpopular.
Sure, it would’ve been easier to nod along, keep everyone comfortable, and quietly ship something broken. But long after those meetings are forgotten, the service is still out there. And the people using it live with the consequences of what we did (or didn’t) fight.
So no, I may not be welcome back at [REDACTED]. And I can live with that. Because I’d rather be remembered as the researcher who spoke up than the one who stayed quiet while something broken went out the door.
What happened at [REDACTED] you ask? When I left they pressed on with their original plans and it was a managed catastrophe, costing a significant amount of time and money.
At the end of the day, being liked isn’t the job. Building services that actually work is. And sometimes, to get there, you have to be the one who says “no.”