For years, I’ve performed moderated interviews. I’ve observed hundreds of unmoderated user tests; to be completely honest, it’s probably thousands. I’ve read countless questionnaires with open-ended comments. Even members of a customer panel I oversaw would occasionally send me a direct message.
Although I occasionally manage to corral a few interested parties, attendance is never 100%; the majority only attend about 25% of sessions. One product manager, and I mean ONE, requested the entire survey data so she could read all the open-ended comments for herself (and I think Bianca is a rock star for it; go, Bianca!).
However, the researcher spends the most of their time emotionally engaging with users.
I adore it when users compliment a website, app, or prototype after using it and occasionally they say something fantastic. I still recall a man who was organising his adoption paperwork with his partner using a note-taking app, and how we both sobbed out loud when I bid him farewell at the end of the session. I still wonder if he ever had children, and I fervently pray that the experience lived up to his expectations.
Written by : Name Style
You will be the target of emotional abuse because it kind of stinks to empathise with users.
For years, I’ve performed moderated interviews. I’ve observed hundreds of unmoderated user tests; to be completely honest, it’s probably thousands. I’ve read countless questionnaires with open-ended comments. Even members of a customer panel I oversaw would occasionally send me a direct message.
Although I occasionally manage to corral a few interested parties, attendance is never 100%; the majority only attend about 25% of sessions. One product manager, and I mean ONE, requested the entire survey data so she could read all the open-ended comments for herself (and I think Bianca is a rock star for it; go, Bianca!).
However, the researcher spends the most of their time emotionally engaging with users.
I adore it when users compliment a website, app, or prototype after using it and occasionally they say something fantastic. I still recall a man who was organising his adoption paperwork with his partner using a note-taking app, and how we both sobbed out loud when I bid him farewell at the end of the session. I still wonder if he ever had children, and I fervently pray that the experience lived up to his expectations.
Written by : Name Style
Style Era 
Leave a comment