Here’s something I didn’t expect in my data collection: how hard it would be to get online with participants.
Many of the volunteers in my study weren’t tech-savvy. Teams links didn’t open. Emails got missed. One participant dropped out because she couldn’t figure out how to turn her camera on.
These weren’t “difficult participants.” They were generous people navigating tools that weren’t designed with them in mind.
Eventually, I simplified everything:
• Switched to digital signatures
• Created a youcanbook.me calendar with automatic reminders and an easy scheduling tool to avoid back and forth
• Always had a phone backup ready
Reflexive research isn’t just about epistemology. It’s about logistics, empathy, and meeting people where they are. That’s part of being ethical, too.
Melissa Smith 