Hello again. We've just covered how to secure participants for your interviews. Now, you need to prepare to actually conduct those interviews. In this video, we'll go over what needs to happen so you're fully prepared to ace each interview.
Have you ever heard the quote, "'Before anything else, preparation is the key to success'?" I'm positive. that when inventor Alexander Graham Bell said those words in the 19th century, he didn't have UX design in mind. However, this is great advice when approaching a user interview.
Whether you're conducting interviews in person or online, preparing ahead of time helps you make the most of your limited time together and learn as much as possible about the interviewee's unique perspectives. There are many ways to prepare for your interview. First, script the interview questions.
It's considered a best practice to keep interview questions consistent for every user, so this list of questions will be your guide during the interview. Second, collect supplies you'll need for the interview, such as a printed list of your questions, a computer, or paper and a pencil, and any recording equipment you might need. If you're using new equipment or technology during the interview, Make sure you know how it works in advance.
For example, if you're conducting an interview online, you'll want to make sure you're familiar with the platform you'll be using and check that the interviewee has access to the technology before your interview begins. A good UX designer also comes prepared with a backup plan in case problems with technology occur. This could be as simple as making sure you have a phone number to contact the participant. Third, Research the users. If the users you are preparing to interview provide their personal information before the interview, be sure to take note of it.
This information might include their name, demographic information, relevant user experience with the product you're designing, or details about how they found out about the interview. You can also review their answers to a screener survey if you administered one before the interview. And lastly, Practice. It's always a good idea to practice delivering the questions you'll ask users before you conduct a real interview.
Doing so will help you ensure that the interview runs smoothly later on. Once you've done all of these steps, you're finally ready to meet with your interview participants. I'll meet you in the next video, where we'll go over the steps and best practices for conducting your interviews.
See you there!