UX Intensive: The Art of Effective Interviewing
[Notes from the second day of the UX Intensive]
An effective interview is made of two things:
- Being a good listener
- Asking good questions
Listen for subtle cues. Does the interviewee sound authentic? Do I need to create a space for them to fill or are they just talking? Where I can step back and give them a chance to elaborate without prompting?
[Exercise where you speak to someone for two minutes and they can't interrupt. You then do it again in reverse but the interviewer must give a one minute appreciation when the interviewee completes their two minute talk.]
Good questions are designed to get good answers. The goal is to not have to ask any questions at all. You want to get the interviewee to tell their story, not the story you might want them to tell. We want to hear their stories in their words.
Think of your interviews as an opportunity to facilitate story-telling. That's why listening and being careful is so important.
A good question is simple an focussed, yet open ended. It is not leading but helps move things along. It is avoids judgement and assumptions.
Try these techniques:
- Elaborate with examples
- Define terms
- Ask for clarification and detail
- Restate questions
- Answer with a question
If you ask an open-ended question and the interviewee seems to be unsure of where to star, have a couple of specific examples in your back pocket to help them out. Ensure that you and your interviewee are speaking the same language. Don't assume that you know what they mean.
Ask the interviewee to repeat or clarify or elaborate. Avoid jumping ahead. Don't think that your interviewee is saying what you want him or her to say without asking them to clarify.
Prompt them with simple questions. Beware of being annoying but try not to answer with leading statements. Simple question keep the story moving forward.
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