Objection, Hearsay! Why "It's great for someone else" Isn't a Research Finding

Objection, hearsay!

Not something you expect to hear in a UX research debrief… but here we are.

Lately, I’ve seen a trend in research reports that makes me wince:

“Several participants mentioned this would be a great tool for a novice user.”

“Many study participants indicated this feature would work well for data analysts (just not for them, the data engineers).”

Let me be clear: these are not findings. They are, quite literally, hearsay.

In legal terms, hearsay is “an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” And, it’s usually inadmissible as evidence. Why? Because the person saying it isn’t the one who directly experienced or verified the thing. Sound familiar?

When a participant says, “This would be great for [another group]!” they’re not actually telling you it’s good. They’re telling you it’s not for them. Full stop.

Unless and until you run a proper study with the specific group they’re referencing — and that group actually loves the feature — you don’t have evidence. You have speculation. At best, it’s a signal to test further. At worst, it’s a polite way of saying, “I won’t use this.”

Why this happens:

• People (especially in the U.S.) are conflict-averse. Rather than say something negative outright, they redirect. It’s not “this is bad,” it’s “this might be good… for someone else.”

  
  

• Your product might be misaligned. If you're targeting the wrong user type, your real audience may already be tuning out.

  
  

• Shiny tech syndrome. Especially with GenAI, teams fall in love with the feature and forget to ask who it’s really for. If you hear “maybe good for someone else,” it might be a signal that you're solving a problem that doesn’t exist.

What to do instead:

👉 In the session, dig deeper. Try: “It sounds like this might be a better fit for someone else. Can you tell me more about what’s not working for you?”

👉 In your report, do not elevate this to a finding. Even if 10 out of 10 participants say it, it’s still not evidence.

👉 Use it as a cue to validate with the actual audience in question. That’s the only way to know if there’s real value there.

So the next time you hear, “this might be good for someone else,” don’t celebrate.

Investigate.

Because what they’re really saying is, “this isn’t for me.” And that’s something worth listening to.