There are several components to consider ensuring a successful interview:

- Setting a Goal
- Building Rapport
- Question Preparation 

Pre-Interview Preparation

Consider these critical factors to conduct a successful interview when choosing a interview location: 

- Convenience and comfort for both user and research team. Locations should accessible to all parties
- Removing props and examples in the environment that can jog the user’s memory or misguide them
- Recognize potential bias within location which may artificially change the user's response. For example, being interviewed in a police station could affect how a person answers questions about police officers.


Interview Location

Briefly, interviews are useful for eliciting ideas and opinions from a user regarding their experience with a system while a usability test is useful for observing how a user actually interacts with a system.  Below are comparisons between the two methods:

Usability Test vs Interview

Because interviews rely on self-reported data from users, the validity of the information can be compromised in several ways:
-  Because human memory and recall ability is flawed.  
- People are generally limited in their ability to accurately retell experiences as they occurred.
-  Users can become confused by what information the interviewer is looking for, and this may affect their ability to give accurate or relevant data.  

Limitations of user interviews

Components of  User Interviews

- Insufficient Rapport-Building 
- Not Enough "Probing" Questions
- Multitasking and Note Taking During the Interview
- Allowing Observers to Influence the Interview
- Leading the Participant


5 Facilitation Mistakes to Avoid During User Interviews

User interviews can give insights on how they perceive a process, a product, a site, or an application. They can identify what they found notable or significant about the topic and offer ideas or suggestions for improvement. They can be used in a variety of scenarios, including:

- Before having a design/concept
- Refining a contextual inquiry study by making observations and learning how users perceive the topic
- After a usability test, to compile verbal responses in relation to the observed behaviors

Why do user interviews?

- Interviews
- Focus groups 
- Diary studies 
- Field studies 

Common Thematic Analysis Data Collection Types

- Structured
- Semi-structured
- Unstructured

Types of User Interviews

A research method where a researcher in a structured setting asks an individual questions about any given topic for the purpose of collecting data about that topic.  From a UX perspective, interviews are valued insofar as they solicit the real opinions and experiences that users have when interacting with any given site or system, and the information collected can help improve that system. 

Boise State University

Ohio State University, Columbus

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Augustana College (IL)

Research methods used by researchers to collect qualitative or quantitative data in studies.

Data collection methods in UX research

UX research methods can be used to generate insights about users’ behaviors, motivations, attitudes, and needs. You can use different UX research methods to assess pain points and highlight opportunities to improve the user experience of a product.

UX Research Methods

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/user-interviews/

User Interviews: How, When, and Why to Conduct Them

User surveys

- Contextual Inquiry

The study will be conducted in the natural environment of the participants. For example, if the participants are students, the environment would be their classroom instead of an office.

Ethnographic field studies in UX research 

Contextual inquiry is a type of ethnographic field study that involves in-depth observation and interviews of small samples of users to gain a deep understanding of work practices and behaviors. Typically, it is conducted during the early discovery stages for a new feature or product. 
Key definitions:
- Context: The research takes place in the users’ natural environment as they conduct their activities the way they normally would. The context could be in their home, office, or somewhere else entirely
- Inquiry: The researcher watches the user as she performs her task and asks for information to understand how and why users do what they do

Contextual inquiry is useful for many domains, but especially well suited for considering users’ interactions with complex systems and in-depth processes as well as the point of view of expert users.

Contextual inquiry

Users are accompanied one-on-one with a researcher in a lab setting, and are told to complete tasks on a product or service.

Usability-Lab Studies

Participants contribute to the study by presenting their ideal experiences with reasons. The necessary design elements and creative materials will be provided by the researchers.

Participatory Design

"Tightly scripted usability studies are performed with several participants, using precise and predetermined measures of performance."

Usability Benchmarking

Researchers conducting usability testings remotely, with tools "such as screen-sharing software and remote control capabilities."

Moderated Remote Usability Studies

Having users install research moderator tool software on their devices and observe their process/thoughts while they complete a task.

Unmoderated Remote Panel Studies

Open and/or close ended information issued by a chosen set of users via a feedback link, button, form, or email.

Customer Feedback

Researchers invite random site visitors to answer questions about their goals of using the website and their feedback. Researchers then observe their subsequent behavior.

True-Intent Studies

Researchers observe user behavior through the recording of screens or pages that users click or see. "It requires the site to be instrumented properly or the application to have telemetry data collection enabled."

Clickstream Analysis

It could be either a quantitative method or a qualitative method. "Participants are offered different visual-design alternatives and are expected to associate each alternative with a set of attributes selected from a closed list."



Desirability Studies

User's Experience Measurements

Qualitative Data

User Interviews

Tree testing focuses on evaluating category labels. This type of study is called "tree" testing because it is assessing hierarchical menus. It is often implemented remotely and unmoderated, and primarily used to follow up card sorting. It also identifies if Information Architecture (IA) structure, labels, and placements align with users’ expectations.

Tree Testing 

A Card Sort is used to understand how people think information within a website should be organized and named. It is often used to create or design an information architecture. 

- In a typical card sorting session, participants group the given topics into categories that make sense to them. 
- Users may also make changes to the cards you provided them by: removing a card they find unnecessary, creating a new card, renaming a card, changing the definition of a given card, and/or placing cards they feel belong that to multiple categories. 
- This can be carried out using sticky notes, paper cards, or a card sorting software.


Card Sorting in UX Research

A qualitative research method where participants log interactions and information related to a specific context over a period of time. Researchers give participants a device to record their lives related to the studied products. 




Diary/Camera Studies in UX Research

Conducted after figuring out your target users. It uses a prototype to explore how a user will use a product. You can use a real user or someone on the design team can act as the user. There will be another colleague that will record any difficulties or concerns raised by the team. A guideline for the walk-through can also be created. This is different from usability testing as it is not used to test hypotheses or part of the rigorous iterative design process.

Walk-throughs in UX Research

A questionnaire is a form designed to collect information from respondents through a series of questions. A variety of question types can be included such as open-ended, multiple choice, or a scale (e.g. On a scale of 1-5, rate your satisfaction with this product).

Questionnaires in UX Research

A focus group is a qualitative data collection method that involves small groups of people participating together in an interview focused on a specific issue or topic. The dynamic interaction among group members can often elicit richer, more detailed information than what might be uncovered in a traditional one-on-one interview. For example, this approach has become a standard technique in business and industry for understanding consumer tastes and preferences. Because these group discussions yield extensive qualitative data, the sessions are typically recorded and transcribed to facilitate thorough later analysis.

Focus Group

- Field Study - we can see them do the task and get them to do what we want them to do, see what people do and how they work, including their living and work space and general home environment. The goal of Field Study is to observe people in their natural environment. 
- Ethnographic studies - A form of Field Study where you embed yourself in someone's life and see how they behave. This is rare to do as it is usually done over a long period of time, such as a month or a year. 
- Contextual inquiry -A form of Field Study where while observing you are asking questions, whether it's a set list of questions or clarifying questions.


Field Studies vs. Ethnographic Studies vs Contextual Inquiry

Methods used by UX researchers to analyze and interpret data that is collected.

Data analysis and interpretation methods in UX research

User Research employs a variety of methods to assess, test, and evaluate users and products.  Most studies would benefit from using a variety of methods but most people don't know what to use when. This article aims to help with this.

Dimensions of User-Experience (UX) Research Methods

Field studies/ lab studies are technically considered a UX research methods because we can use multiple data collection methods within them. Node topics can repeat but:  
- nodes in UX Research methods: focus on how to conduct method
- nodes in Data Collection methods: focus on how to extract Data 

Organization of Data Collection Methods inside UX Research Methods 

- Always ask if it's okay to film/record.
- Do not ask leading questions.
- Reassure your interviewees.
- Observe, then intervene if necessary.
- Be patient.
- Be clear with your directions.
- Troubleshoot before session.

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