Conducting an Interview
Introduction
This topic provides general guidelines for conducting an interview.
General approach
Interviews are best conducted face-to-face. A user interview should last no more than 2 hours, preferably less than 1 hour. The participant is often giving up valuable time, so detailed preparation is required to make the most of the opportunity.
Interview questions
Some general rules for interview questions:
- Ask open questions.
- Avoid closed questions, leading or biased questions.
- Don't combine questions.
- Avoid focussing the interview around 'feature checking'.
Example: Asking participants if they like a particular feature on a screen, or what features they would like to see.
Use a question guide but do not limit interesting discussions.
Question themes
Interview questions should focus around:
- users needs,
- complaints, problems and weaknesses,
- expectations and perceptions,
Example: What do you expect? - experiences, and
Note: Ask about both negative and positive experiences. - current approach to finding information.
Portal review session
If the interview includes the portal review session then ask the following types of questions:
- What features are important,
Examples: which would you use, which aspects, what requirements are met, what do you like best - How could it be improved?
- What else could you use instead?
- What would encourage you to use it?
Important: Do not prompt users to carry out tasks differently, or in an order other than the one they use normally.
Interviewing tips
Common tips for interviewing:
- Try to minimise disruption.
- Listen and watch attentively.
- Ensure that you do not give negative signals to the users, either verbally or by your body language.
Contact for information on this page: nsip@finance.gov.au