{"id":18907,"date":"2023-12-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techforgood.cymru\/resource\/user-interview-questions\/"},"modified":"2024-09-24T08:14:11","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T07:14:11","slug":"user-interview-questions","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/promo.cymru\/cy\/resource-articles\/user-interview-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to run user interviews"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a guide to running a good user interview. It follows on from our article about why you should do user interviews<\/a> as part of your user research<\/a>. It explains how to prepare for an interview and the types of questions to ask. <\/p>\n

How to prepare for user interviews<\/strong><\/h2>\n

User interviews require good preparation. If you don\u2019t prepare then you won\u2019t find out what you need. It would be like looking for treasure without a map, a compass, a spade or a good pair of boots. <\/p>\n

It takes effort to prepare but it means you won\u2019t be digging up a load of unhelpful sand or data. <\/p>\n

1. Get clear on what you want to know<\/strong><\/h3>\n

First up, this means acknowledging there are things you don\u2019t know<\/em>. It\u2019s OK to not know them, or to have assumptions (we all have them<\/a>). <\/p>\n

\u201cJust acknowledging that there are things you don\u2019t know you don\u2019t know puts you in a much stronger position vis-a-vis reality.\u201d<\/em> Erika Hall, Design Researcher<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then work out what you need to know. We call these research questions. They are different to the questions you will ask in the interview. They are more about documenting what learning you need to move forward with the problem you are trying to solve. Erika Hall writes beautifully about the need to dig in the right spot<\/a>. If you don\u2019t work out where to dig, you\u2019re unlikely to find treasure.<\/p>\n

Bad research question:<\/strong> How do we get people to use our service?<\/p>\n

Good research question:<\/strong> How do people go about seeking help?<\/p>\n

Good interview questions:<\/strong> How do you manage the problem? Can you tell me about the process you went through when deciding to contact the service?<\/em><\/p>\n

Use this worksheet<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n

2. Recruit your interviewees<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is like finding the right island to go treasure seeking on. <\/p>\n

Who are your users or potential users? Can you describe them? Be specific then seek them out. You only need five to start with!<\/p>\n

You might find them among your existing cohorts of service users. Or you may need to go further and enlist support from other organisations. <\/p>\n

Work out the most direct route to reaching them. Directness is important. The more people you have to go through to reach them, the longer it will take and the less responses you will get.<\/p>\n

Write something clear and compelling about who you are looking for, why and what you need. Ideally put this on the web: on a page, or an online form. Then ask people to visit it or show it to potential interviewees.<\/p>\n

Always ask for consent. Adapt your normal consent form into an online form using a survey tool. You can also ask a consent question at the start of an interview if you are recording it.<\/p>\n

Read our new guide to recruiting people for interviews<\/a>. <\/p>\n

3. Write a script<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is a bit like getting your digging boots on or your spade out of the shed. <\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s your first or fiftieth user interview, it always helps to have a script. A script ensures you cover off all the things you need to explain at interview start. It also helps you start the interview with more confidence. You don\u2019t need to follow a script word for word but you do need it written down and in front of you when you start an interview.<\/p>\n

Your script should include:<\/p>\n