One of the most fascinating observations I've made from user testing is that users often say things that contradict what they actually do. It’s those times when the user claims that the contents are readable but does so as he squints and cranes his neck closer to the screen; when a user claims something is unclear but has no trouble completing the tasks; or when the user applauses the experience of the prototype but groaned out of frustration a few times during the test. These are the users’ blindspots but are my windows into the user’s true needs. This is the kindling for a better solution, a more assertive recommendation, and maybe even innovation. I love it when this happens. It’s the UX designer’s arbitrage.

Watching how the user interacts with the product while listening to what the user says, the combination is necessary to gain good insight. It’s analogous to the corroboration between quantitative and qualitative data, the former tells you what is happening while the latter explains why it’s happening. And when something doesn’t line up, that’s probably the area you should investigate; It’s probably something that needs to be fixed, improved or revamped.

Learning to pick up on these contradictions is relatively easy because it’s fun to practice. I think the real work, and our value-add is the emotional labor that surrounds it. It's making sure to create space for these contradictions to occur and for you to observe it first hand; communicating the value of the arbitrage to your team and company; translating the observations into appropriate actionable solutions; and knowing how to appropriately collaborate along the way.