When thinking about Star Wars and any inspiration that may come from it, it’s easy to single out lessons shared by the Jedi and other beloved races like the Mon Calamari or the Cereans. Master Yoda, for example, has shared enough motivational quotes to last us a lifetime.
But what about the Sith Lords? We did some digging around the Dark Side of the Force to bring you three lessons on the power of listening to your users.
Darth Bane: don’t underestimate your users
He may not be the most famous Sith ever, but Darth Bane created something that forever changed the dynamic between Sith Lords: the Rule of Two, which states the apprentice must kill their master in order to become the Dark Lord.
In his later life, Darth Bane worried that his apprentice Zannah wouldn’t be able to overthrow him, so he began looking for a new apprentice. He seriously underestimated Zannah, who ended up killing him.
The lesson: don’t underestimate your users. Even better, don’t underestimate or overestimate and avoid creating biases around your audience. Observe their behaviour in the right context to understand how they really think and interact with your product.
Darth Vader: put people first
Of course, how could Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader not be featured in this list? Story-wise, Vader is probably one of the richest and most complex characters in the Star Wars universe, but this is our favourite lesson: your users’ motivations and needs will change during their journey.
Let us explain. Following his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and his downfall, his master Darth Sidious / Senator Palpatine saved him by creating the dark suit and mask that the galaxy came to know and fear. Technology saved Anakin’s life and helped him become Vader.
However, in the end during the fight with his son Luke, it was the person behind the technology that won Vader’s internal battle. The Sith Lord ends up killing his master Sidious and saving Luke’s life, fulfilling both the Rule of Two and the prophecy that said Anakin would be the one to end the Sith.
The lesson: it’s about the user, not the technology. Your product needs to be constantly improved to serve your users; if the experience deteriorates or their motivation and goals change, but your product remains the same, then you will lose your users.
Darth Plagueis: keep learning and improving
We know Darth Plagueis is not the most well-known Sith, but bear with us as his message is important. Plagueis was not the most skilled fighter or the strongest dark lord, but he was obsessed with continuous learning. His experiments and studies made it possible for future Sith – like Darth Sidious – to cheat death.
This quote from a conversation between Plagueis and Sidious – “We will need each other if we are to realise our ultimate goals. In the end, there can be no secrets between us.” – is a great, if not a tad too dramatic, way to describe the brief relationship formed between researcher and participant during research sessions.
The lesson: strive to keep learning from others, both your colleagues and users, and share that knowledge. One single round of research won’t give you all the answers; you need to continuously learn, iterate and test to improve the overall experience.
As the Mandalorian would say, “this is the way”.
Maria Santos, Head of Digital Ops & Data Protection
If you would like to find out more about our in-house participant recruitment service for user testing or market research get in touch on 0117 921 0008 or info@peopleforresearch.co.uk.
At People for Research, we recruit participants for UX and usability testing and market research. We work with award winning UX agencies across the UK and partner up with a number of end clients who are leading the way with in-house user experience and insight.
