Listening to people

UX Camp BrightonNovember 2013

John Waterworth@jwaterworth

2

You learning from them

Helping them tell their storyWhat they show you

What they tell you

More you talk, less they talkDon’t rush to next question

Encourage them to show you, to talk

3

Be a person

Be humanChat, smile, frown, laugh

Be surprised, be concerned

Build rapportStart gently, start friendly

Talking about themselves

Match their pace

Learn for later

4

Guided conversation

Be clearSimple questions

Background first

Be flexibleDon’t just plough on

Guided by objectives

Follow the participant’s lead

Follow your nose

5

Starter questions

OpenWhat do you think about …?

How do you … to …?

NeutralHow do these compare …?

What different ways do you …?

Unprompted is bestQuery effect

6

Follow up questions

Focus inIn what way …?

Can you tell me more about …?

You said … why/when/who …?

NudgingConfusing?

Every time?

Bananas?

7

Stories and examples

Concrete, specificHow did you …?

What was the last time …?

Critical incidentsParticularly difficult

Worked particularly well

Stronger memories

More useful detail

8

Active listening

Receive, AppreciateLean and look

Nod and smile

Encouraging noises

Support, not switchShows that you are interested

Signal which aspects you most value

9

Exercise

Instructions1. Divide into groups of three

2. Call yourselves A, B, and C

3. Not telling

5 Minutes

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Understanding

Summarise, AskParaphrase what they said

Use their language

Confirm that you understood

Suspending judgementTheir frame of reference

Their point of view

Their experience, aspirations, etc.

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Digging deeper

NeedsExpressed, implied and latent needs

Means end chain Product or services attributes

To consequences of use

To aspirations and values

Five whysRoot cause analysis

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Too many whys

InterrogationCan sound accusative

Particularly after a mistake or sensitive admission

Can be repetitiveRephrase or soften

What makes X important?

Can you say how that happened?

13

Recap

Don'tShow and tell

Be a white coated scientist

Follow a fixed script

Closed or leading questions

Stop the flow

Should be, usually are

Switching

Moving on

Scratching the surface

Interrogate people

DoWatch and listen

Be a person

Have a guided conversation

Open and neutral starters

Simple, nudging follow ups

Stories and examples

Receive and appreciate

Summarise and ask

Digging deeper

Careful with the whys