HCI an der ETHZ - ETH Zurich

In the real world, problems need to be discovered
We rush to solving a given problem without questioning
if it is the correct problem to solve.

Instead:
1. Find the right problem (root-cause analysis to find the root problem)
2. Find the right solution to it

- interviewee speaks 90% of the time
- stays on topic
- is more than data gathering
=> be ready to hear something new and be changed by it
- defers your agenda and immerses yourself
• step into the interviewee’s shoes
• be curious
• have a “beginner mindset”

Representative of target users
• May be current users of a similar system
• Might be the non-users – but could be in future
Interview people on both sides of an interaction
• Experts are good for background but are not a substitute for users
• Consider interviewing extreme users

Suggesting answers:
“How was that decision reached? Was there
a big meeting? Did your boss decide
without you?…”
How to prevent:
• Ask the question
• Stop talking
• Let participants give the answer

Hypothetical questions:
• “What if I designed something that
wasn’t as annoying as your current
thing and instead bounced up and
down. Would that work for you?”
• “What about your friends? What would
they do?”
Instead:
• Ask about events and things that
actually happened/exist
• Focus on getting the user’s own point
of view, not what they think someone
else might do

Collect data and share with your team:
• Record if permitted (transcription is helpful)
• Take notes
• Take pictures
• Note down important issues/ideas
• Note down quotes

• Study changes behavior
asking people to track their behavior tends to cause them to change their behavior

• Rare events
some events are rare and cannot be easily observed
• Easily forgotten
people forget that some events even happen
• Actual frequency important
people forget how often they do things (e.g., how many glasses of water did you drink?)

Ask about things that have happened in the past using a survey format

• Critical events that users are likely to remember well
Describe a negative software update experience.
• Recent events that were somewhat memorable
Where did you have dinner last night?
• Rare events that had a large impact and are memorable
How did your partner propose to you?

• Hard to remember events
How many times did you cross a road last month?

Ask people to record events as they happen

Look at “things” people leave around the world to understand a problem