TaskUs Experts Highlight the Importance of Research in Employee Assessment and Business Success

Last June, industry experts from TaskUs gathered for Quant UX Con 2023 to share their expertise on research methodologies, offer key insights, and foster collaboration among peers in quantitative user experience (UX) research. The team organized two sessions at the event: (1) Dr. Marlyn Savio's high-level presentation on how to leverage psychometrics for wellness and UX research, especially in Trust and Safety, (2) seasoned psychometrician Dr. Dimitra Strongylou's engaging panel discussion featuring insights including Dr. Irene Huang of TaskUs.

Dr. Savio’s session explained the fundamentals of psychometrics—the science of measuring human attributes—and its importance not only in the realm of sound acquisition but also in broader applications. These precise data can aid UX research, employee assessment, and business success. They suggested that psychometrics can improve the accuracy and usefulness of the data gathered, making both UX research and employee assessments more effective

Dr. Savio then explained how psychometrics could be used within a business environment, focusing on how technology can enhance the process. They touched upon how the application of technology to psychometric testing can make implementation more straightforward and increase user engagement. Gamifying the testing process makes it more interactive and enjoyable.

The two experts wrapped up their presentation and emphasized the need for professional oversight during psychometric evaluations. They also highlighted the importance of adhering to ethical standards when conducting these tests to ensure accurate results and maintain the integrity of the process.

Dr. Strongylou’s panel explored the critical area of Trust and Safety in the digital era. The panelists delved into the inherent complexities of content moderation, the sheer scale of digital content being produced, and the pivotal wellness considerations to consider when handling such vast volumes of content.

The conversation then shifted toward the role of User Experience Research (UXR) within Trust and Safety. Each panelist shed light on their experiences and methodologies in adopting UXR to design efficient tools for content moderators. As they explained, these tools were crafted to streamline moderation work and, most importantly, foster a secure and healthy work environment for the moderators.

The experts also contrasted the application of UXR within Trust and Safety with its use in other domains. They shared insights from proactive collaborations with various TaskUs internal teams and how these efforts contribute to successful UXR initiatives in Trust and Safety.

Toward the end of the panel discussion, Dr. Huang emphasized the importance of promoting a collaborative culture within an organization. She highlighted two points: to ensure you have stakeholder buy-in and to continue to nourish the relationship and partnership. “For instance, when we were working with our development team to create the Shield tool to decrease the content impact on our moderators, we shared with them how this would be one of a kind, state-of-the-art tool in the space and how exciting and innovative this would mean for our industry,” she shared. “Luckily at TaskUs, we have a people-first culture and approach when it comes to our frontline content moderators, so in my experience, all departments have been on board with protecting our content moderator's well-being.”