Run a User Feedback Session Before Planning More Research Training

When users avoid part of a research workflow, more training may help, yet it may also miss the actual barrier. A customer success scientist can lead a listening session that gathers specific observations from users and gives the laboratory’s leaders a useful basis for choosing support.

At a fictional core facility, Tessa, the administrator, says, “People keep asking for training, but attendance is low.” The scientist asks, “At what point in the workflow do people pause, and what do they say is difficult?” Tessa learns that new users are unsure who releases samples after intake. The available training covers software navigation, while the uncertainty concerns a local handoff.

Group feedback by workflow point, user group, and local owner. Share approved education resources for questions they address, and route local process questions to the customer’s laboratory or operations owner. Ask the customer to select one change or support action to test, such as a clearer intake contact or a focused education session. Record how the team will observe whether users can complete that specific step.

Practice asking open questions before proposing a session. “Can you describe the last time a user stopped, and what happened next?” Review the notes with the laboratory leader. The useful outcome is a support plan owned by the customer with one visible barrier, one owner, and a date to revisit the evidence.