lean ux: effective customer interviewing
DESCRIPTION
To build the right product you need to understand the people who use it. Good interviewing should be one of your core skills—whether you are a designer, an entrepreneur, a product manager, or an innovator. This class will show you how to get the most from your conversations with customers. In a series of mock interviews you'll learn basic techniques, mistakes to avoid, and lightweight analysis and synthesis techniques that work well in rapidly changing innovative and entrepreneurial environments. Presented at General Assembly, June 6, 2013.TRANSCRIPT
Effective Customer InterviewingGeneral Assembly, June 6 2013
Adrian Howard (@adrianh) quietstars.com
Hello!
Eh?
Ask questions
Don't take notes(slideshare.net/adrianh)
Tip: Drink!
?
Stand up
A – B - C
A = SpeakerB = InterviewerC = Observer
Speakers:Shut your eyes
Interviewers:Chat with the speaker about their best restaurant experience.
Observers:Watch what happens. Write observations on post-it notes.
Interviewers:Do not take notes.
2 minutes
Reflection
B = SpeakerC = InterviewerA = Observer
Speakers:Shut your eyes
Interviewers:Chat with the speaker about their best holiday experience.
Interviewers:One more thing.
Interviewers:After the first question – you cannot speak again. Shhhhh!
Observers:Watch what happens. Write observations on post-it notes.
Interviewers:Do not take notes.
2 minutes
Reflection
The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.
- Fran Lebowitz
C = SpeakerA = InterviewerB = Observer
Speakers:Shut your eyes
Interviewers:Chat with the speaker about how they decorate & furnish their home.
Tip:Remember to use silence and body language.
Interviewers:One more thing.
Interviewers:After the first question you can only ask “Can you tell me more about X?”
Interviewers:(where X is something the speaker has previously mentioned).
Observers:Watch what happens. Write observations on post-it notes.
Interviewers:Do not take notes.
4 minutes
Reflection
Tip:Reflect back what the speaker said.
Every clarification breeds new questions.
- Arthur Bloch
Relax...
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Interviews ≠ Quiz
Interviews ≠ Survey
Interviews ≠ Script
Interviews cannotbe automated
Rapport
Empathy
Why do we do interviews?
Learn from customers
Test our assumptions
Test our hypotheses
Finding customers
Recruiters
Hassling people on the street
Tip: Bribes
Coffee shops
Tip:Don't look scary
Go where your customers are
Tip:Go with somebody
Sales
Marketing
Customer Support
Online
craigslist
Ethnio.net
Exercise time
Today you found a startup!
Exploring exciting new ways to create a great experience
eating out
Helping people have the holiday of
their dreams.
Democratising professional
interior decoration
Build Topic Maps
Individually write down topics on post-it notes
2m
Group and label them as a team
5m
Write down list
Interviewing
Tip: Remember the person.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Tip: Ask open questions.
What was the last book you read?
Can you tell me about the kind of books you read?
Tip: Ask for stories.
Can you tell me about the last time...
Tip: No leading questions.
Do you want to use this at work?
Where do you use this?
A = SpeakerB = InterviewerC = Observer
Interviewers & Observers:Write down the key points that the speaker says
Tip:Observations vs insights
Tips:
- Silence.- Reflect back.- Remember the person.- Ask open questions.- Ask for stories.- No leading questions.- Observations vs Insights.
5m
Tips:
- Silence.- Reflect back.- Remember the person.- Ask open questions.- Ask for stories.- No leading questions.- Observations vs Insights.
Reflection
B = SpeakerC = InterviewerA = Observer
C = SpeakerA = InterviewerB = Observer
Synthesis
Affinity Diagramming
Further Reading
If you're keen
If you're really keen
Ch 7 of “Mental Models” by Indi Young
Ch 9 & 10 of “User and Task Analysis for Interface Design” by JoAnn T. Hackos, Janice C. Redish
Ch 6 of "Observing the User Experience" by Mike Kuniavsky, Elizabeth Goodman & Andrea Moed
Ch 4 of "Contextual Design" by Hugh Beyer and Karen Holtzblatt