1. FOCUS GROUPS & INTERVIEWS
2/6/15

2. Overview Interview types Designing interview questions
Focus groups (Customer research)
Overview of guidelines for project stage 2: Customer research

3. Interviews Unstructured Are not directed by a script – exploratory
But… plan main topics to be covered
Uses open questions
e.g. What are the advantages of touchscreens?
Pro: interviewees may mention issues interviewer hasn’t considered
Cons: data heavy, not consistent across participants, time consuming and difficult to analyze
Rich but not replicable
Not appropriate for your purposes

4. Interviews Structured Are tightly scripted, often like a questionnaire
Questions are short and clearly worded
Closed questions
e.g. How often do you visit the HCI class website: everyday, once a week, once a month, less than once a month?
Closed questions are good when range of possible answers is known
Standardized across participants
Worded exactly the same for each participant
Always asked in the same order
Appropriate for your purposes

5. Interviews Semi-structured Combo of structured and unstructured
Guided by a script but interesting issues can be explored in more depth
Plan main topics – so same topics are covered with each participant
Start with open question followed by closed question
OPEN: Tell me about the layout of the site <difficult to use>
CLOSED: what would make it easier to use?
**Must be careful that the question phrasing doesn’t lead participant to a particular answer**
e.g. You seemed to like the use of color
Very appropriate for your purposes

6. Interview questions Two types: Closed questions are easier to analyze
closed questions have a predetermined answer format, e.g., ‘yes’ or ‘no’, ‘everyday’ or ‘once a week’
open questions do not have a predetermined format
Closed questions are easier to analyze

7. Interview questions Guidelines for developing questions (Robson 2002)
Avoid:
Long questions
Compound sentences - split them into two
e.g. How do you like this cell phone compared with previous ones you’ve had?
How do you like this phone?
Have you owned others?
If so, how did you like it/them?
Easier for interviewee to respond and easier for interviewer to take notes
Jargon and language that the interviewee may not understand
Leading questions that make assumptions e.g., why do you like …?
Assumes person does like it – can discourage reporting true feelings
Unconscious biases e.g., gender stereotypes

8. Running the interview Introduction Warm-up Introduce yourself
Clearly explain the goals of the interview
e.g., the goal is to determine a set of user requirements for this application/interface
Reassure about the ethical issues
Ask for their permission to take notes
Warm-up
Make first questions easy and non-threatening
e.g., What is your major? What year are you?

9. Running the interview Main body A cool-off period Closure
Present questions in a logical order
A cool-off period
Include a few easy questions to defuse tension at the end
Closure
Thank interviewee, signal the end, e.g, put notebooks away

10. Focus groups Normally 3 – 10 people
Discussion / interview led by 1 person
It’s the PM in your case
Other team members must be present to take notes
A preset agenda is used to guide the discussion
Pros:
Allows diverse issues to be raised that might otherwise be missed
Individuals develop opinions by talking to others
Cons:
One person may dominate discussion
Discourages others from speaking up

11. Enriching the interview process
Props - devices for prompting interviewee, e.g., a prototype, scenario

12. Project 2: Customer research
Develop your focus group/interview agenda
Be sure to cover all the important points for procedure
Main topics to cover during the focus group
Determine clients’ impressions of the problem you are trying to address
Determine improvements the clients want
Determine clients’ solutions to the interface

13. Resources
8 questions ideal
A focus group is not:
A debate Group therapy A conflict resolution session A problem solving session An opportunity to collaborate A promotional opportunity An educational session

14. Role Play Groups of 4 Choose the conductor Choose participant A
Choose participant B
Choose participant C

15. The shy one: you don’t speak unless spoken to.
Participant A
The shy one: you don’t speak unless spoken to.

16. The dominator: you are speak your opinions as fact
Participant B
The dominator: you are speak your opinions as fact

17. The rambler: you talk a lot and jump in when others are talking
Participant C
The rambler: you talk a lot and jump in when others are talking

18. Question
Overall goal: UF has asked you to solve the problem: they want to have students eat more at campus restaurants for dinner
(Open ended) Describe about your typical dinner plans for a week.
(Open ended) Describe how you get to campus and around campus.
(Close ended) On a scale of 1-5 where 5 is highest, how important is price to your dinner plans?
(Close ended) On a scale of 1-5 where 5 is highest, how important is quality of food to your dinner plans?