Gotcha: What’s Your SAP?

‘Gotcha’ – Used by a few of our American based researchers, ‘gotcha’ is short, sweet, and to the point. It’s a quick and informal way to acknowledge what your participant is saying. Before turning to this SAP, consider who your audience is. Some participants and stakeholders might find it a bit too casual.

‘Cool’ – Kick it back old school style with this fundamental SAP. You can update it with ‘coolio’ or one of my favourites ‘cool beans’. Again, a bit more on the casual side.

(Jake Peralta, star of Brooklyn Nine Nine, is the king of the SAPs ‘Cool’, ‘Toit’, and ‘No doubt’. Source: https://www.theedge.co.nz/)

‘I understand; That’s interesting; That makes sense’ – A few different SAPs that demonstrate you’re listening and that your participant is providing useful information. This is a neutral-positive way to encourage your participants to keep sharing.

‘Thank you for sharing that with me; That’s exactly what we’re looking for’ – These SAPs offer a bit more depth and acknowledgement that your participant is on the right track. They can give participants who are a bit more nervous or new to research the boost they need to continue providing great feedback. Be careful not to overuse them though. It can start to come off as disingenuous. It can also make participants nervous, feeling that everything they say must meet a certain standard.

(A positive SAP from Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, but it might be a bit too over the top for a user interview or stakeholder meeting. Source: https://tenor.com/)

‘Awesome, good stuff!’ – This was my SAP as a fledgling researcher. As an American working in the UK, I had to adjust my mannerisms to match my participants’ expectations. I was informed that using these SAPs sounded disingenuous and overly excitable. I’ve since dropped these from my interviewing vocabulary, but turn to them regularly with friends and colleagues.

‘Mmm *nod*’ – A SAP can be more of an utterance combined with body language. Sometimes it’s best to refrain from using words and create space for the participant to continue speaking.

These are just a few SAPs that came out during our exercise. When coming up with your own SAP, think about your audience, intention, and identity. If you’re interviewing young people, for example, don’t jump straight to ‘totes!’ or ‘that’s lit!’. Use what you’re comfortable with and you’ll probably be fine! Now I want to know: What’s your go to SAP?