Good Listener

Listening skills involve the test moderator's ability to hear with "new ears'" during each session and to lay aside personal biases and strong opinions about what he or she is seeing and hearing. The test moderator needs to understand both the content and the implication of a participant's comments, as there are often mixed messages of all kinds during testing. The test moderator must pick up on the subtle nuances of speech and emphasis, as a participant's comments are often indirect and less than forthcoming. It is so important to understand the rationale behind the participant's behavior, because the rationale often signals whether a change in the product is required or not.