The Art of Asking: Navigating UX Research Goals and Interview Questions

Date

October 3, 2023

Let's talk UX research. No, not the drab, sleep-inducing kind where you're just ticking off boxes. I mean the real, get-into-the-user's-head, solve-the-problems kind of research. Ever been stumped on what questions to ask in those interviews? Or maybe you're like, "I get the users, but what exactly am I trying to achieve here?"

What You're Not Doing (Yet!)

Quick heads up: If you're enrolled in that new course you're eyeing, you're not being tasked to conduct interviews just yet. Instead, you'll get some make-believe users to play with (no strings attached). But why not prepare for the real deal while we're at it?

So, What Are You After?

First off, let's hit pause and think: What's the point? Not in a nihilistic way, but seriously, what do you want to get out of these interviews? If you're diving into the UX pool without a clue, you're going to end up doggy paddling in the shallow end. Don't be that person.

Here's a couple of goals you might be shooting for:

Get inside the human noggin and really understand the feels and doings around the issue your product's tackling.
Pick apart the common behaviors and experiences that people have with tasks related to your product.
Go all Sherlock and uncover the frustrations and needs of users interacting with your design.

The Golden Questions

Alright, got your goals? Sweet. Now, let's cook up some interview questions that are as aligned with those goals as a yoga instructor in a tree pose.

Pro Tips Alert!

Go with open-ended questions. Seriously, don't corner folks into yes-or-no situations. It's like asking someone if they're 'fine'—you won't get the real story.
Keep it simple, genius. Don't make your questions a maze that interviewees have to navigate.
Play the "Tell me more" card. Get people to spill the beans by asking for elaboration. It's the UX equivalent of "Go on... I'm listening."