Moderation language that keeps tasks neutral

Small wording shifts reduce bias in usability sessions. Here are phrases we ban in training—and what we use instead.

Moderated Usability Testing spends time on phrases that accidentally coach participants. Replacing “you should see” with “what appears next?” is textbook, but teams still slip when they are tired.

We catalogue organisation-specific jargon that sounds innocent yet primes behaviour—“checkout basket,” “smart suggestion,” even “premium.” Students rewrite tasks using neutral nouns and include recovery hints only when the interface itself would provide them.

We also discuss note-taking balance: enough detail to reproduce issues, not so much that sessions feel like surveillance. The aim is respectful evidence that designers and engineers can act on without embarrassing participants.