Crash Course

How to Conduct User Interview

Oktober 2020
This workshop will touch on these subjects
● What is qualitative data, and how can it enhance design outcome
● Gathering qualitative data through research
● Principles in qualitative research process
○ Preparation
○ Execution
Agenda
● Intro to qualitative data, and doing research 30 Mins
● Discussion/Q&A 20 Mins
● Qualitative research exercise:
○ Crafting discussion guideline 20 Mins
○ Feedback Session 10 Mins
● Reflection and recap 10 Mins
1. What is Qualitative Research and Qualitative
Data?
Easy Analogy: Manufacturing chairs in a factory vs
Handmade woodcraft in a crafting workshop

VS
Easy Analogy: Manufacturing chairs in a factory vs
Handmade woodcraft in a crafting workshop

VS
Quantitative
Qualitative

Keywords: Aggregated,
focused on breadth than depth Keywords: Individual, No ‘singular truth’
focused on depth than breadth
Qualitative data: a ‘tool’ to capture nuances of human
behavior around measurable information

User engagement on Banksoal is decreased

gradually, especially after midterm exam

Why?

From our dashboard, the biggest drop off in

learning journey is on the 3rd video
Qualitative research can unwind deeper story than quantitative

Our lunchtime Key Question: Answer:

orders are What is your obstacle “I have many activities at work -
to Sometimes I can get really busy in the
stagnating. get lunch? noon and it can be unpredictable.”
(data) The hindrance is
2nd Follow up Answer: unpredictable busy
Question: “We only have 1 hour of lunch and schedule, with more
Why is it that difficult there’s time I use my lunch time to contexts about a strict
to get my work done.”
get lunch?
1-hour lunch time.

3rd Follow up Answer:

Questions: “My company applies strict working
“Why don’t our How about getting hours and it’s kind of difficult to eat
user use our app lunch with such flexibility.”
for lunch?” pre or post lunch time?
(research question)
Human Behavior as the main unit of analysis
Why qualitative data matters?
Because it serves as an...

Evidence:

information
collated and
presented to be
weighed for
making decisions
Empathy tool:
an intellectual capability to know
what other peopleare likely to think
and do, honed over
time
2. Preparing your
Qualitative
Research
A quick cheat sheet of steps in doing qualitative
research...
Research Process
A quick cheat sheet of steps in doing qualitative
research...
Research Process
Creating an interview guideline

Discussion guide normally follows logical sequence in a conversation → It begins

broadly and progressively narrow the topic area that holds greatest importance to the
research objective.

Why? Imagine that you’re talking to new person..

1. You need to make that person warm up to you, so start with light conversation before
bringing them to the main topic.

2. We need contexts before understanding main topic.

Example of an interview guideline
Objective: to identify potential improvement in the current X campaign flow.

Introduction:
Introduction
● Introduce name
● Inform about confidentiality
● Ask respondents to introduce himself.

Awareness of promo (Validity if resp is indeed aware of the campaign)

● Have you tried using Ruangguru promotion before?

● If user mentions about X promotion: General Information
○ Did you use it?

Concept Evaluation

● Please explain and demonstrate to me how did you use the campaign/promotion. Specific topic related to
● How did you feel about the campaign? the main objective
● Did you find any difficulty? -> Topic that holds
most importance
Asking questions in qualitative research

Open Questions
A question where we let respondents have the freedom to determine the amount and
kind of information to give.

More neutral, not a leading questions.

Examples
What do you think about this feature?

Do you like this feature?

Asking questions in qualitative research

Open Questions

Advantages Disadvantages
● Encourage respondents to talk ● Time-consuming
● Determine the nature and amount of information to ● The answer might be too broad, lengthy,
give ramble answers, might also lead to
● Let respondents to give volunteer irrelevant answers
information

● Re-orient to your last questions

● Make them focus on what you ask (emphasize on things/objects that you ask to respondents)
Asking questions
which one is better?

Can you tell me You smile a lot

Do you like doing Please tell us
your experience when seeing
exercise feature your opinion
on doing exercise design A, do you
Banksoal? about design A?
using like it?
Banksoal?
 Probing
We already asked the primary questions, question which convey the topics or new areas.

.... But might find respondents who are not giving us the detailed answers. You can use this trick:
called probing.
Silent probe Nudging probe Clearinghouse Informational Reflective probe
probe probe

Non verbal A quick response to To make sure that Asking more To make the
signals/gesture to interviewee to everything already question to enrich interviewee reflect
encourage the makes them asked on the interviewee answer their answer and
person to continue continue answering interview. - Tell me more about adding more
answering the question - What have I not your discussion with information related
questions: ● “I see..” asked that you recall the Senator to their previous
● Eye contact ● “Go on” about this incident? answer
● Facial ● “Uh huh”, etc - Did you say that…?
expression
Probing Quiz
Probing Quiz

Informational
Probe
Probing Quiz
Probing Quiz

Clearinghouse
Probe
Probing Quiz
Probing Quiz

Silent Probe
Probing Quiz
Probing Quiz

Nudge Probe
Probing Quiz
Probing Quiz

Reflective
Probe
Common Pitfalls
Example How to tackle

The Bipolar Trap A question begins with; “do you”, “are you”, “have you”, Try with question begins with “what”, “how”, “explain”, “tell
“can you”, “is there”, “would you”, “were you”, “was it”. me
about” to ask for detailed informations, feelings, attitudes.

The What do you think about this feature? Do you find it 1. Aware about what you ask
Double-barrelled useful? 2. If it’s already happening then you need to repeat the
Inquisition unanswered question

The leading push 1. You’re paying your bills with m-banking BCA, 1. Be aware of each question that you ask
right? 2. Phrasing the questions neutrally
2. You’re studying only a night before, aren’t you?

Use why Why don’t you subscribe RBPlus? Use “what makes/motivates/causes you”, “what is your
consideration”.

Complexity “There can be some reasons that hinder persons from 1. Avoid complex questions that challenge respondents to
using E-wallet, like too lazy to keep multiple ‘wallets’, not figure out what you want.
sure how to top-up, etc.. what about you? What drives you 2. Phrase a question carefully by avoiding mixture of
not to use E-wallet?” negatives, positives, maybes, and unnecessary detail.
Common Pitfalls Quiz

“People nowadays are “Have you ever try “Why didn’t you tap
having difficulties on using Jadwal that
choosing which brand Belajar?” button?”
that they will use for
everyday digital
payment transaction.
Some of them have the
solid reason for
“How did you plan “You buy RLO coins
choosing one over
another. How about
your vacation? Did frequently because it’s
you?” you used travel apps cashback promotion,
planner?” right?”
Common Pitfalls Quiz

“People nowadays are “Have you ever try

“Why didn’t you tap
having difficulties on using Jadwal
that button?”
choosing which brand Belajar?”
that they will use for
everyday digital
payment transaction. Bipolar Trap Use Why
Some of them have the
solid reason for
“How did you plan “You buy RLO coins
choosing one over
another. How about
your vacation? Did frequently because it’s
you?” you used travel apps cashback promotion,
planner?” right?”

Complexity Double Barrel questions Leading Push

Interview Attendees
Opening Interview
● Establish the rapport (small talk before doing an
interview)
● Orient the other party
○ They are going to be our main focus in the
interview
● Introduce who you are, state the purpose of the
interview and how long it will going to take their time
● State the security of respondent’s data and information
they give
● Ask permission if you would like to record, take
notes, documenting
Conducting Interview
● Asking primary questions refer to the discussion guide
○ Don’t get satisfied easily with one layer of
information that users give us - Probe more
until you get specific details.
● Observe everything! Because what people say is not
always what they do!
● Especially the nonverbal clues/gesture
○ Facial expression
○ Observe their hand movement

This can enrich the findings that we get from the interview
and help us processing the data later on
Role as Observer
Take these as notes if you’re the observer in session

Do’s Don’ts

1 Neutral expression 1 Doing unrelated activities to the

research/interview (e.g. checking your
phone, pick up the phone, etc)

2 Remember give smile if the 2 Interrupting researcher while doing

interviewee are looking at you the interview

3 Give space between you and the 3 Showing exaggerate reaction

respondents

4 Pay attention to your interviewee 4

Q&A Session
Let’s Exercise!

Create short interview guideline based on your product stream, then discuss it together
Feedback Session
Reflection and Recap
 Thank you!
Hope our session might be useful