Semi-structured Interviews
Conduct interviews when a question or problem needs further exploration. A semi-structured interview guide is flexible - meaning you can add or remove questions as needed.
Crafting Questions
Begin by brainstorming interview questions. One way to generate questions is to work off of your research objectives. Try turning each objective into a few questions. Before you narrow down your list, review questions as a team and check your assumptions and biases.
As you fine-hone, see if there are more open-ended versions of the questions. The more open-ended your questions are the more likely you are to uncover user motivations and beliefs, especially when you probe with followup questions.
Arrange questions in a meaningful order.
Structuring the Interview
Introduction
Begin with a warm, thankful welcome to make people feel comfortable. Provide context about yourself, the research, and what's going to happen during your time together.
Cover participant's rights, consent, and ask if you can record.
Overall, the interview should feel like a conversation. Practice active listening and give people plenty of time to respond.
Warmup questions
Start with easy questions to get to know their lifestyle and habits, such as "Tell me a little about yourself."
Problem specific questions
- Probe with follow-up questions such as, "Why is that important to you?"
- Check to make sure you understand what they are talking about.
- Showing/doing questions: "Can you show (or tell) me how you do that task?
- Attitudes questions: "What do you like about that?"
- Pain points questions: "If you had a magic wand what would you change?"
Wrap-up
Ask if there is anything they would like to add or that was missed. Express gratitude for their time.
Tips
- Write concise, jargon-free, nonleading questions.
- Test out your interview guide beforehand.
- People might be most comfortable meeting at their location of choice.
- Let people know that there are no right or wrong answers.
- What people say is not always what they do. Ask, "Why?" to get at the "why" behind what they’re saying.
- Allow time between interviews to gather yourself and make any minor changes to the guide.
Use the Design Research Plan worksheet to assist with planning and identifying the right voices to be heard.
- Show humility. Don’t assume everyone has the same beliefs and understandings as yourself.
- Act with empathy. Put yourself in someone else's situation.