User Interview Notes

User Interviews

  • Interviews are often used with other evaluation techniques.
  • The goal is to ask questions that elicit detailed responses, not just "yes" or "no" answers.
  • The purpose is to gain in-depth insights into:
    • Who the user is.
    • What they do.
    • Their experiences.
    • Their challenges.
  • This helps generate new knowledge.

Integration with User Personas

  • Interviews are crucial for creating user personas (as discussed in week two).
  • They are conducted both early and later in the design process.
  • Can be combined with field studies:
    • Interviews can be done before (pre-study) or after (post-study) observing participants.
    • This provides context on how the user interacts with the product in their natural environment.
    • For example:
      • Observe a user and note issues (e.g., misclicks, confusion with errors).
      • Follow up with an interview to understand the reasons behind those issues.

Integration with Usability Testing

  • Interviews can be paired with usability testing:
    • Conduct interviews before the test to learn about the participant.
    • Conduct interviews during and after the test.

Benefits of Interviews

  • Continuous generation of new knowledge.
  • Gain insights into:
    • User identity.
    • Their experiences.
    • Needs for the product.
    • Pain points.
    • Goals.
  • This information is used to create user personas and identify user needs.

Timing

  • Interviews are essential in the early stages but remain valuable in later stages.
  • One-on-one interviews ensure no influence from others (unlike focus groups).

Limitations of Interviews

  • Poor Recollection:
    • Participants may not accurately remember things.
    • Solution: Conduct interviews immediately after activities like usability testing to ensure accurate memory.
  • Missed Details:
    • Participants may omit important details because they don't realize their relevance.
    • Solution: Interviewers should probe and ask follow-up questions to extract more information.
  • Social Desirability Bias:
    • Participants may present themselves in a way they believe is more socially acceptable.
    • They might withhold information or present a different persona, which may not reflect their actual behavior or reactions in different environments.