A technique for gathering information through direct dialogue
About the Mural interviewing template
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.
What are the benefits of conducting interviews?
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:
- Uncover unexpected information
- Build relationships and trust with people being interviewed
- Get a better sense of the target audience
- Make better informed decisions
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What is the best way to structure an interview?
How can I make sure I'm getting the most out of my interview?
What tips can I use to build a rapport with my interviewee?
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