Interviewing Users
Interviewing users involves structured conversations with users or potential users of a product to gather qualitative insights about their needs, experiences, and behaviours.
Goal
Interviewing users allows for deep exploration of how users interact with a product, their needs, and the context in which they use it. The goal is to understand the users' perspectives and uncover rich insights that might not be readily apparent through other methods which inform and guide the development of user-centric products and features.
Context
We think we know why our users use our products and what they want but there are always surprises when we talk to them.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Interview Guide | A structured plan for the interview, including the flow of questions and topics to cover. |
| Scheduled Interviews | A calendar of interviews with participants who have agreed to participate in the research. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Interview Notes | Detailed records of the conversation, capturing key insights and quotes. | Provides a reference for the team to reflect on and analyse the findings. |
| Video Recording | A recording of the interview session, capturing nonverbal cues and interactions. | Enables the team to review the interview and observe nonverbal cues and interactions. |
| Interview Snapshots | A summary of the key insights and findings from the interview. | Provides a quick reference for the team to understand the key takeaways. |
| Research Repository | A centralised database or repository of all user feedback. | Facilitates easy access to and analysis of feedback data over time. |
Anti-patterns
- Leading Questions: Asking questions that suggest a particular answer, potentially biasing the responses.
- Confirmation Bias: Only acknowledging information that confirms pre-existing beliefs.
- Under-preparing: Entering interviews without a clear plan or objectives, leading to missed opportunities for deep insights.
- Lack of active listening: Failing to pay close attention to user responses and nonverbal cues can lead to missed insights.
- Poor documentation: Inadequate or inconsistent note-taking will result in lost insights and misunderstandings.