1. The User Interview
A versatile user research method
Katherine Wahl
Usability/Accessibility Consultant
June, 2014

2. User Interviews
 A common method of obtaining user feedback
 The researcher talks directly with the user in a one-on-one
conversation
 Can be done and repeated anytime during the project
life cycle

3. Advantages
 Versatility
 Sessions can be set up and run quickly
 Open to an iterative process
 Not dependent on developers
 Data is from real users
 Opportunity to develop a deep understanding of users
 Inexpensive

4. Challenges
 Defining goals
 Recognizing and eliminating bias
 Listening carefully
 Recording the session
 Analyzing the data

5. Versatility

6. Versatility: Location

7. Versatility: Format
 Questions
 Structured or unstructured
 Workflow or task oriented

8. Versatility: Format

9. Versatility: Timing
 Interviews are useful at any time in product development
 Requirements gathering and specification creation
 Prototype design
 Coding
 Alpha/Beta release
 QA
 Documentation and training

10. A brief ‘how to’ guide
 Preparation
 Conducting the interview
 Reporting

11. Preparation: Goals
 Set reasonable goals
 Discuss them with your client
 Define what NOT to expect

12. Preparation: Participants
 Define your audience
 Plan your schedule
 Confirm your appointments

13. Preparation: Questions
 Draft and revise your questions
 Be mindful of bias
 Think about timing
 Know the material well

14. Preparation: Tools

15. The interview: Set expectations

16. The interview
 Listen
 Observe

17. The interview
 Clarify
 Record quotes

18. The interview: Be ready for surprises

19. Reporting
 Summarize major themes
 Include quotes
 Deliver results in person

20. Things to remember
 Prepare thoroughly
 Be mindful of bias
 Listen carefully
 Record quotes accurately

21. Questions?
Contact me at kwahl107@gmail.com

22. Bibliography
Buxton, Bill. (2007). Sketching User Experiences: Getting the
Design Right and the Design Right. Amsterdam, Netherlands:
Morgan Kaufmann/Elsevier.
Courage, Catherine & Kathy Baxter. (2005). Understanding
Your Users: A Practical Guide to User Requirements Methods,
Tools, and Techniques. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Morgan
Kaufmann/Elsevier.
Goodman, Elizabeth, Mike Kuniavsky and Andrea Moed.
(2012). Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner’s
Guide to User Research (2nd Edition). San Francisco,
California: Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann.

23. Bibliography
Morville, Peter & Louis Rosenfeld. (2006). Information Architecture
for the World Wide Web – Third Edition. Sebastopol, California:
O’Reilly Media, Inc.
Nielsen, Jakob. (1993) Usability Engineering. San Francisco,
California: Morgan Kaufmann.
Portugal, Steve, (2013) Interviewing Users: How to Uncover
Compelling Insights. Brooklyn, New York: Rosenfeld.
Quesenbery, Whitney & Kevin Brooks. (2010). Storytelling for User
Experiences: Crafting Stories for Better Design. Brooklyn, New York:
Rosenfeld.
Schumacher, Robert. Editor (2009). Handbook of Global User
Research. Amsterdam:, Netherlands: Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann.