Creating effective interview questions for experience design research

Creating Effective Interview Questions for Experience Design Research

Interviews are an essential part of experience design research.

They help designers understand the needs, wants, and pain points of their users.

But to get the most out of interviews, you need to ask the right questions.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to create effective interview questions for experience design research.

Step 1: Define Your Research Goals

Before you start creating interview questions, you need to define your research goals.

What do you want to learn from your users? What are your design challenges? What are your hypotheses? Once you have a clear understanding of your research goals, you can start brainstorming questions that will help you achieve them.

Step 2: Choose the Right Interview Type

There are two main types of interviews: structured and unstructured.

Structured interviews use a predetermined set of questions, while unstructured interviews allow for more flexibility and follow-up questions.

Choose the interview type that best suits your research goals and the stage of your design process.

Step 3: Create Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions encourage participants to share their thoughts and feelings in their own words.

Avoid closed-ended questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

Use prompts like “Tell me about a time when…” or “What do you think about…”.

Step 4: Avoid Leading Questions

Leading questions steer participants towards a particular answer.

Avoid questions that suggest a specific solution or use leading language like “Don’t you think…”.

Instead, ask neutral questions that allow participants to share their honest opinions.

Step 5: Test Your Questions

Before conducting your interviews, test your questions with a small group of users.

This will help you identify any confusing or unclear questions and refine your interview script.

Make sure to also test your questions for length and complexity.

Keep your questions short and easy to understand.

Best Practices and Tips

• Start with easy questions to build rapport and make participants feel comfortable.
• Ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into participants’ responses.
• Use active listening to show participants that you are engaged and interested.
• Avoid interrupting participants or jumping to conclusions.
• Record your interviews and take detailed notes to ensure you capture all the information.

Real-World Examples

Here are some examples of effective interview questions for experience design research:

• Can you describe a recent experience you had with [product/service]?
• What challenges have you faced when using [product/service]?
• What do you like most about [product/service]?
• Can you walk me through how you would complete [task] using [product/service]?
• How does [product/service] compare to similar products/services you’ve used?

By following these steps and best practices, you can create effective interview questions that will help you gain valuable insights into your users and improve your experience design.