As a UX/UI designer at Xennial, I spend a significant portion of my day researching – user needs, design trends, emerging technologies. But there's a truth we all face when starting something completely new: the issue when you don't know anything is that you don't know anything.

This might sound obvious, but it manifests itself in a surprisingly frustrating way – not knowing the right questions to ask. Imagine being a baby trying to learn about the world. You see a banana, but you don't have the vocabulary to ask "What is that yellow thing?" You have to fumble through sounds and gestures until someone understands.

This is exactly what it feels like when you're diving into a completely unfamiliar field. You stare at a blank Google search bar, paralyzed by the vastness of information out there. What terms do you even use? How do you translate your vague understanding into a good question that brings helpful results?

It's a battle we've all fought, that initial hurdle in the research process. But here's the good news: once you get over that hurdle, you're 75% of the way there. Knowing the right questions helps everything fall into place.

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So, how do we bridge this "not knowing what you don't know" gap?

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Here at Xennial, we believe in the power of collaboration. While AI-powered search tools are becoming incredibly sophisticated, human expertise remains invaluable. Here's how we approach research as a team:

‍• Brainstorming Sessions: Bouncing ideas off colleagues with diverse backgrounds can spark new perspectives and help identify the core questions we need to answer.

• Keyword Exploration: Used advanced search techniques to explore broader concepts and related terms, slowly building a vocabulary around the unknown subject matter.

• Leveraging Industry Resources: Industry reports, white papers, and expert blogs can provide valuable context and introduce relevant terminology

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Ultimately, the key is to adopt a beginner's mindset. Don't be afraid to start with broad strokes and refine your search as you learn more. Here are some things I never regret taking extra time to do:

• Focus on understanding the core problem. This helps formulate broader search queries before diving into specifics.

• Use Google's "People Also Ask" feature. This can expose you to questions you might not have considered on your own.

• Don't be afraid to get creative. Sometimes, a metaphor or analogy can lead you to the right terminology.

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The "not knowing what you don't know" experience is a universal challenge. By embracing collaboration, utilizing expert resources, and approaching research with a curious mind, we can all overcome this hurdle and unlock a world of knowledge. This is where the true magic of research begins – the transformation of uncertainty into a springboard for innovation and progress.

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