A technique for gathering information through direct dialogue
People generally enjoy telling stories about their experiences, and a good interview can take advantage of this natural inclination to gather valuable information. Interviewing gives us an opportunity to get to know people better, on a personal level, and allows us to gain insight into their views of the world. Carefully crafted questions can help to subtly elicit true feelings, desires, struggles, and opinions from the person being interviewed. Additionally, when we open ourselves up to the unplanned and unscripted aspects of the interview process, we can uncover equally illuminating discoveries.
A good interviewer must have a certain level of finesse and be attuned to their interviewee. They must know when to probe for more information, when to redirect the conversation, and how to interpret what is meant from what is said. In other words, as journalist Lawrence Grobel said, they must have the ability to "converse like a talk show host, think like a writer, understand subtext like a psychiatrist, and have an ear like a musician". This kind of skill and attentiveness is essential to a successful interview, as it can help to draw out the most meaningful and accurate information from the interviewee.
Interviews provide a number of benefits, as they help to provide a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the people and their experiences. Interviews can provide insights into people's feelings, desires, struggles, and opinions which may not be evident through other methods. They can also be used to uncover unexpected information, as well as to get to know people on a personal level.
Interviews can help to build relationships and trust with the people being interviewed, which can be beneficial in the long run, and can give us a better sense of the target audience and help us to make better informed decisions.
In short, user interviews allow you to:
Structuring an interview should be done with the goal of gathering the most accurate and meaningful information in mind. To do this, it's important to ask questions that are both open-ended and specific, and to focus on more than one subject area. Questions should be designed to encourage the interviewee to provide detailed answers, and should be presented in a way that allows them to speak freely about their experiences. It can also be useful to allow for some space for conversation to dig deeper into the topics that are of most interest. Additionally, it's essential to remain attentive and aware of the interviewee's body language and reactions to the questions, as these can provide valuable insight into the interviewee's true feelings and opinions.
To get the most out of an interview, it's important to start by creating an agenda or using a template that outlines the topics you wish to cover. This can help you to stay on track and ensure that you are gathering the information you need. It's also important to remain flexible and open to the unplanned, as this can help to uncover valuable and unexpected information. It's beneficial to ask follow-up questions that are open-ended and specific, as these can help to draw out the most meaningful and accurate information possible.
Building a rapport with an interviewee is an important part of the interview process, as it can help to create a more comfortable environment. To accomplish this, it's essential to be open, friendly, and non-judgmental, and be prepared and organized, as this can help to provide a sense of professionalism and trustworthiness. Show interest in the interviewee and their experiences, and to make sure they feel heard and respected. Creating a conversational atmosphere can help to draw out more meaningful information from the interviewee.