Remote User Interviewing Basics

More listening, less talking The interviewer may just be thinking over the question at hand, so don't rush to fill those silences when you're less experienced.

Asking again Use a close-ended question to clarify what someone meant (e.g., I just want to make sure, did it happen last night?).

Choosing an interview tool You can use whatever tool is more familiar to you, but make sure it allows for recording your interviews. Some companies approve specific solutions like Microsoft Teams.

Stop worrying and help respondents do the same Whenever you feel nervous during an interview, acknowledge the feeling and be open about it. This won't take away the stress, but it will ease it. If a respondent appears to be anxious, ask if the interview questions are making them feel that way.

Following up After the interview, we asked interviewees to send in any questions they had, but we didn't have time or couldn't answer them.

--------------------------------------------- Starting off the right foot The interviewer and interviewee should have cameras to see each other during an interview. If a respondent cannot turn on the camera, make sure your camera is on as well.

Recording the interview But if a respondent does not agree for the interview to be recorded, you can take notes or ask an observer to do that for you.

Recruiting participants It depends on the company how it recruits respondents. Some companies even use Craigslist. As a B2B company, you need real customers who use your product in order to conduct your research. In order to select respondents who fit your criteria, we turn to your own user base.

Assembling an interviewing team The team can be augmented by an observer who acts as the second pilot. When an interviewer becomes hesitant, an observer can help. Observers can also take notes, which is extremely helpful if the respondent does not consent to record the interview.