Empathize with Your Customers

What is the empathize stage?

The empathize stage of Design Thinking is crucial for gaining a deep understanding of users and their needs. During this stage, it is essential to set aside pre-conceptions and approach the problem space with an open mind. The goal is to develop empathy by immersing ourselves in the world of users and exploring their behaviors, motivations, and emotions.

A key aspect of empathy is recognizing that we are not the customer. It requires us to step out of our own perspectives and biases and truly listen and observe without judgment. By doing so, we can gain insights into the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of our target users.

The empathize stage goes beyond logic and rational behavior. It delves into the emotional, social, and irrational drivers that influence user behavior. Understanding these deeper factors is crucial for creating designs that resonate with users on a human level.

In the process of gaining empathy, we engage in "needfinding" – uncovering both explicit and implicit needs of individuals or groups. Needs can encompass physical, psychological, and cultural requirements that are currently unmet by existing solutions. By identifying these needs, we uncover opportunities for design interventions.

A key objective of the empathize stage is to uncover the gaps between what people say they do and what they actually do. These gaps reveal design opportunities and highlight areas where existing solutions may fall short. By identifying these gaps, designers can explore innovative ways to bridge them and create meaningful solutions that truly address users' needs and aspirations.

Overall, the empathize stage allows designers to gain a holistic understanding of users, their needs, and the design opportunities that exist within the problem space. It sets the foundation for creating human-centered solutions that resonate with users on a deep and meaningful level.

Why empathy matters?

Without empathy, there is a significant risk of designing products that are based on our own assumptions, preferences, and biases rather than truly addressing the needs of our users. It is a common mistake, especially in consumer product design, to overlook the importance of empathizing with users and instead design for ourselves or our peers.

Even in cases where we may feel that we have sufficient experience within a problem space, such as designing a TV guide for a tablet, it is crucial to recognize that the user base is diverse. People within the same problem space can have varying behaviors, preferences, and needs. Assuming that our own experiences and behaviors represent the entire user base can lead to design solutions that miss the mark for a significant portion of users.

To ensure that we design for the needs of our users, empathy research becomes essential. Through empathy research, we aim to gain a deep understanding of the different perspectives, behaviors, pains, and joys of our users. It involves conducting research activities such as interviews, observations, and user testing to uncover valuable insights about users' motivations, challenges, and desires.

By reaching a place of empathy with our users, we can truly understand their needs and prioritize the problems that are most important to them. It allows us to go beyond our own assumptions and design solutions that resonate with users on a personal level.

Empathy research acts as a bridge between our own perspectives and the diverse experiences of our users, enabling us to create products that address their specific needs and aspirations.

In summary, empathy research is the vehicle through which we gain a deep understanding of our users, enabling us to design solutions that truly solve their problems and meet their needs. It ensures that our design decisions are rooted in empathy and that we prioritize the perspectives and experiences of our users throughout the design process.

How do we empathize?

Indeed, when conducting user research, there are three primary techniques that we can employ to gain insights about our users: Observe, Engage, and Immerse. Each technique offers a different approach to understanding user behavior, needs, and motivations.

• Observe: This technique involves passive observation of users in their natural environment or while interacting with a product or service. It allows researchers to witness firsthand how users behave, what challenges they face, and how they interact with existing solutions. Observational research methods include techniques like field observations, where researchers observe users in real-life settings, and diary studies, where users document their experiences over a period of time.

  
  

• Engage: Engaging with users involves actively interacting with them to gather insights and understand their perspectives. This technique often involves conducting interviews, surveys, or focus groups to gather qualitative and quantitative data. Through engaging with users, researchers can delve deeper into their thoughts, opinions, and experiences, gaining valuable insights into their needs, desires, and pain points.

  
  

• Immerse: Immersion techniques involve deeply immersing oneself in the users' context and experiences to gain a more profound understanding. This technique may require spending an extended period with users, experiencing their daily lives, and participating in their activities. Immersion techniques can provide rich insights into the emotional, cultural, and contextual aspects of user behavior. However, it is important to note that immersion techniques may not always be feasible, especially in situations where access or training is limited, as mentioned in the example of fighter pilot cockpit design.

The choice of research method depends on the specific goals of the study, the nature of the problem being addressed, and the practical constraints involved. Each technique offers unique advantages and can provide different types of insights. By utilizing a combination of these research techniques, designers and researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of their users' needs, behaviors, and motivations, leading to more effective and user-centered design solutions.

The goal of empathize stage

In the empathy mode of Design Thinking, the goal is to gather a rich set of data, stories, and artifacts that provide deep insights into people's actions, motivations, and experiences. This raw material serves as the foundation for generating ideas and drawing conclusions in later stages of the design process.

To achieve this goal, researchers employ various techniques and methods to collect information and capture the human aspects of the problem space. These techniques may include conducting interviews, engaging in field observations, collecting artifacts such as photos and drawings, and documenting quotes or narratives that reflect people's experiences.

The collected data, stories, and anecdotes serve as valuable resources for understanding the needs, desires, and challenges of the target audience. They provide a holistic view of the users' context, behaviors, and emotions, helping designers and researchers gain empathy and a deep understanding of the problem at hand.

Later in the Design Thinking process, this wealth of information becomes the raw material for generating ideas, brainstorming solutions, and making informed decisions. By revisiting the stories, artifacts, and insights gathered during the empathy mode, designers can draw upon real-life experiences and user perspectives to inform their ideation and concept development.

Ultimately, the goal of the empathy mode is to cultivate a deep understanding of users and their needs, and to generate valuable insights that drive the design process towards creating meaningful and user-centered solutions.

Contextual Inquiry

Contextual Inquiry, also known as ethnographic study, is a research technique that involves observing users in their natural environment as they engage with the problem space. By immersing ourselves in their context and directly witnessing their behaviors, we gain valuable insights into their mindset, challenges, and opportunities.

During a contextual inquiry, researchers carefully observe users as they perform tasks related to the problem at hand. This could involve visiting users in their homes, workplaces, or other relevant settings. By closely watching their actions, researchers can gain a deep understanding of how users interact with the problem and the current solutions they employ.

Additionally, researchers engage in probing conversations with users to gather more detailed information about their behaviors, motivations, and experiences. By asking questions and seeking clarification, researchers can uncover valuable insights that may not be immediately apparent through observation alone.

To illustrate the application of contextual inquiry, let's consider two examples:

• Bill management: If we were studying how people manage their bills, we would visit them in their homes and observe their actions. We would observe how they handle bills when they receive them in the mail, where they store them after opening, how they remind themselves to pay, and what they do with the bills once they have made the payment. Through this firsthand observation and conversation, we can gain insights into users' bill management practices, pain points, and potential opportunities for improvement.

  
  

• Point-of-Sale payments at farmers' markets: Suppose we were researching a Point-of-Sale payments solution for merchants at farmers' markets. In this case, we would visit the markets and closely observe how merchants currently accept payments. We would examine the tools, devices, or systems they use and pay attention to their interactions with customers during transactions. By witnessing their current practices, challenges, and preferences, we can gather valuable insights to inform the design of a more effective payment solution.

Contextual inquiry allows researchers to go beyond surface-level information and gain a deep understanding of users' behaviors, needs, and pain points within their natural context. By directly observing users and engaging in meaningful conversations, researchers can generate rich and nuanced insights that inform the design process and contribute to the development of user-centered solutions.

Why we do it?

Obtaining firsthand knowledge of a user's behavior through contextual inquiry offers several advantages:

• Eliminating misreporting: By directly observing users' behaviors, we can reduce the reliance on self-reporting, which can sometimes be inaccurate or incomplete. Observation allows us to see users' actions firsthand, providing more reliable insights.

  
  

• Uncovering subconscious behaviors: People often engage in unconscious actions or behaviors that they may not be aware of or may not consciously report. Through observation, we can capture these unconscious behaviors, which can provide valuable insights into user needs and preferences that may not be revealed through self-reporting alone.

  
  

• Considering the physical environment: Contextual inquiry allows us to explore the physical environment in which users interact with a product or problem space. This is crucial, as the physical environment can significantly impact user behavior and task performance. By observing the physical environment, we can identify how users leverage their surroundings to complete tasks and uncover any challenges or opportunities for improvement that may arise from the physical context.
  
  

• Identifying improvement opportunities: The primary goal of contextual inquiry is to gain a deeper understanding of the problem space, users, and their needs. Through direct observation, we can identify pain points, inefficiencies, and areas where users may struggle. These observations can serve as valuable inputs for generating insights and identifying opportunities for improvement in the design process.

Overall, contextual inquiry enables us to gain a holistic understanding of users, their behaviors, and the context in which they interact with a product or problem. By immersing ourselves in their environment, we can develop empathy, uncover valuable insights, and ultimately create solutions that address their real needs and improve their overall experience.

How we do it?

Pre-Interview Preparation Steps:

• Define the problem space: Identify a specific problem or area of interest that you want to explore through research. For example, the problem of market holders accepting payments at farmers' markets.
  
  

• Choose the research location: Determine the appropriate setting where you can conduct the research. In this case, it would be the farmers' market where market holders operate.

  
  

• Define the target participants: Specify the target group of participants you want to research. For instance, farmers' market vendors who make over $500 per market and either currently accept credit cards or are interested in accepting them.

  
  

• Schedule interviews: Reach out to the identified participants and arrange a suitable time to conduct the interviews. Ensure that the participants are available and willing to participate in the research.
  
  

• Prepare interview questions: Based on the areas of interest and the goals of your research, develop a set of interview questions that will help you gather relevant information. Tailor the questions to explore topics such as the current payment methods used, pain points experienced, desired features, and any challenges faced by the market holders regarding accepting payments.

By following these pre-interview steps, you will be better prepared to conduct insightful and productive interviews with the target participants. This preparation helps ensure that you gather the necessary information to gain a deep understanding of the problem space and the needs of the market holders.

Interview Steps:

• Introduction and setting expectations: Begin by introducing yourself to the participant and explaining the purpose of the interview. Make sure they feel comfortable and informed about what to expect during the session.

  
  

• Task demonstration: Ask the participant to demonstrate how they would perform the tasks related to the problem space you're investigating. Provide a clear explanation of the tasks and any specific instructions if necessary.
  
  

• Observing task performance: Allow the participant to complete the tasks while you carefully observe their actions and behaviors. Take notes on their actions, interactions, and any notable observations during the task.

  
  

• Note-taking: Continuously document your observations and insights during the interview. Capture relevant details about the participant's behaviors, decision-making process, pain points, and any other information that stands out.
  
  

• Follow-up questions: After the participant completes the task, take the opportunity to clarify any observed behaviors or explore the underlying motivations. Ask open-ended questions to encourage the participant to share their thoughts, feelings, and motivations related to specific actions or decisions.
  
  

• Observing the physical environment: Pay attention not only to digital interactions but also to the physical environment. Notice any physical behaviors, artifacts, or cues that may impact the task performance or reveal valuable insights.
  
  

• Documentation: If the participant allows it, you may consider recording the session using audio or video to ensure accurate documentation of the interview. However, always obtain the participant's consent beforehand.
  
  

• Analysis and synthesis: After completing the interviews, gather and organize your notes. Use techniques like affinity diagrams to identify patterns, themes, and insights from the collected data. Look for consistent findings, key observations, and potential opportunities for improvement within the problem space.
  
  

By following these steps, you can conduct effective interviews that provide rich insights into users' behaviors, motivations, and the context in which they interact with the problem space. This information will be valuable for analysis and generating meaningful solutions during the later stages of the design process.

What we create?

Capturing observations on Post-it notes is a common practice during research sessions. Using different colors to distinguish between observations and conversations can help in organizing and analyzing the data later.

Taking photos of the environment and users (with their permission) is a useful way to visually document the research and provide a more authentic representation of real behaviors. Photos can also help to create a stronger emotional connection to the research findings, enhancing empathy and understanding.

It's important to note that the goal of observation during this stage is to gain a deeper understanding of the user's mindset, behaviors, and context. It is not necessarily about finding immediate insights or solutions. Insights often emerge when analyzing the collected data as a whole, identifying patterns, themes, and connections between different observations.

By collecting a variety of data, including observations, conversations, and visual documentation, you can create a comprehensive research dataset that will inform the subsequent stages of the design process and contribute to the generation of insights and solutions.

Indeed, conducting observations in the user's natural environment offers several advantages:
Direct observation: You get firsthand, real-time insights into how users behave, interact, and navigate within their natural context.

• In-depth understanding: Observing users in their own environment allows you to uncover subtle behaviors, patterns, and routines that may not be evident in a simulated or controlled setting.

  
  

• Contextual insights: You gain a deeper understanding of the environmental factors, physical artifacts, and social dynamics that influence user behavior and decision-making.
  
  

• Participant comfort: Users tend to feel more at ease and behave naturally when they are in a familiar setting, leading to more authentic observations.

However, there are also some challenges associated with this research approach:

• Organizational logistics: It can be challenging to coordinate and schedule research sessions in specific locations or environments, especially if they are not easily accessible or require special permissions.
  
  

• Limited access: Some environments, such as secure areas or sensitive workplaces, may be difficult to gain access to, limiting the ability to directly observe certain behaviors.
  
  

• External factors: External variables, such as distractions or unexpected events, may influence the behavior of users during the observation, making it harder to capture their typical actions.

Despite these challenges, contextual inquiry and observation remain valuable methods for gaining deep insights into user behavior, context, and needs, providing a rich foundation for the design process.

Diary Studies

Diary studies are a research technique used to gather insights into users' behaviors, experiences, and perceptions over an extended period of time. Participants are provided with a diary, which can be in physical or digital form, and they record their activities, thoughts, and emotions at specified intervals or when prompted by reminders.

Here are some key aspects of diary studies:

• Remote data collection: Diary studies allow researchers to collect data from participants remotely, without the need for direct observation or in-person interactions. This makes it convenient for both researchers and participants, as it eliminates geographical constraints.
  
  

• Longitudinal perspective: Unlike other research methods that capture user behavior at a specific moment, diary studies capture data over a period of time, ranging from a few days to several weeks or months. This longitudinal perspective provides insights into patterns, changes, and trends in users' behaviors and experiences.
  
  

• Participant self-reporting: Participants are responsible for documenting their activities, thoughts, and emotions in the diary. This self-reporting approach allows participants to provide detailed and reflective accounts of their experiences, providing rich qualitative data.
  
  

• Prompting and reminders: To ensure consistent data collection, researchers often provide reminders or prompts to participants, such as notifications or emails, to encourage them to update the diary at specific intervals or in response to certain events or activities.

Additional measurements: In addition to capturing activities and thoughts, researchers may include other measurements or metrics in the diary, depending on the research objectives. This could include mood ratings, pain levels, usage statistics, or any other variables that are relevant to the study.

By analyzing the data collected from diary studies, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of users' behaviors, needs, and motivations in their natural contexts, providing valuable insights for the design and improvement of products and experiences.

Why we do it?

Diary studies serve several purposes and provide valuable insights in various situations. Here's why we conduct diary studies:

• Obtaining knowledge of a large sample space: Diary studies allow researchers to gather data from a larger number of participants compared to methods like in-person observations or interviews. This enables a broader understanding of user behavior across different contexts and demographics.
  
  

• Overcoming access limitations: In situations where direct observation or in-person research is challenging or not feasible, such as when studying rare events, sensitive topics, or geographically dispersed participants, diary studies provide a practical alternative. Participants can contribute data from their own environments, offering insights that might not have been accessible through traditional research methods.
  
  

• Longitudinal insights: Diary studies capture data over an extended period, enabling researchers to track changes, patterns, and trends in user behavior. This longitudinal perspective allows for a deeper understanding of user experiences and how they evolve over time.
  
  

• Identifying opportunities for improvement: By collecting detailed accounts of participants' activities, thoughts, and emotions, diary studies help uncover pain points, unmet needs, and areas for improvement within the problem space. Researchers can identify recurring issues, explore possible solutions, and generate insights to inform the design and development process.

  
  

• Rich qualitative data: Diary studies provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and provide rich qualitative data. Participants can offer detailed narratives, provide context, and express their emotions, providing nuanced insights that may not emerge through other research methods.
  
  

Overall, diary studies offer a flexible and powerful approach to understanding user behavior, especially when direct observation or contextual inquiries are not possible. They provide a window into participants' lives, allowing researchers to gather a wealth of information and uncover valuable insights for designing user-centered solutions.

How do we do it?

Pre-study:

• Identify the problem space: Clearly define the specific area or problem you want to explore through the diary study. This could be related to user behavior, experiences, challenges, or any other relevant aspect.
  
  

• Define the target participants: Determine the specific user group or demographic you want to include in the diary study. Consider factors such as their relevance to the problem space and their willingness to participate.
  
  

• Invite participants: Reach out to potential participants and explain the purpose and process of the diary study. Provide them with an overview of what is expected from them, including the time commitment, frequency of diary entries, and any guidelines or instructions to follow.
  
  

• Provide example diary entry: Help participants understand what a diary entry should include by providing them with a sample entry. This can serve as a reference for the type of information you're looking to capture, such as activities, thoughts, emotions, or any specific measurements you deem important.

  
  

• Provide the diary format: Determine whether you'll be using physical diaries or digital platforms for participants to record their entries. If using a physical diary, ensure it's easily portable and convenient for participants to carry with them. If using a digital platform, provide clear instructions on how to access and use it.
  
  

• Explain timing and frequency: Clarify the timing and frequency of diary entries. Communicate whether participants should record entries in real-time or at specific intervals throughout the day. Set expectations regarding the number of entries per day or week and any specific timeframes you want them to cover.
  
  

• Reminders and prompts: Set up reminders to help participants remember to make diary entries. This can be done through email notifications, mobile app alerts, or other means of communication that participants are comfortable with.
  
  

• Encourage honesty and completeness: Emphasize the importance of honest and complete entries. Encourage participants to be thorough in their descriptions and capture both positive and negative experiences. Assure them that their insights are valuable and will contribute to meaningful outcomes.
  
  

• Provide support and answer questions: Be available to answer any questions participants may have throughout the study. Offer support, clarify instructions if needed, and address any concerns they may raise.
  
  

• Collect and analyze diary entries: Once the diary study is underway, collect the diary entries from participants. Analyze the collected data, looking for patterns, themes, and insights that emerge from the participants' experiences. Use appropriate tools and techniques, such as affinity diagrams, thematic analysis, or qualitative coding, to derive meaningful findings.

By following these steps, you can effectively conduct a diary study to gain in-depth understanding of user behaviors, experiences, and insights related to the problem space you're exploring.

During the study:

• Provide prompts: Encourage participants to create diary entries by providing them with prompts. These prompts can be random, task-based, time-based, or context-based. The prompts help guide participants in recording relevant information and ensure a variety of experiences and situations are captured.
  
  

• Review entries and offer guidance: Regularly review the diary entries as they are submitted. This allows you to provide feedback and guidance to participants, helping them understand the desired level of detail and content you are seeking. Offer clarifications or suggestions to improve the quality and depth of their entries.
  
  

• Collect diary entries at predefined intervals: Determine the frequency at which participants should submit their diary entries. This could be daily, weekly, or at any other predetermined interval. Clearly communicate the submission schedule to participants and ensure they understand when and how to share their entries.
  
  

• Analyze diary entries for insights: Once the diary study is underway and you have collected a significant number of entries, analyze the data. Review the entries systematically, looking for patterns, themes, and insights that emerge across multiple participants or over time. Use methods such as affinity diagrams, thematic analysis, or coding to organize and categorize the information.
  
  

• Identify consistent themes and opportunities: Look for consistent patterns, themes, and insights within the diary entries. Identify common challenges, needs, or opportunities that arise from the participants' experiences. These consistent themes can inform the generation of ideas and solutions later in the design process.

By following these steps during the diary study, you can ensure that participants provide meaningful entries, receive guidance when needed, and collect valuable data for analysis to gain insights and generate useful findings for designing.

What do we create?

The small pieces of information collected through diary studies provide valuable data that can be used in multiple ways:

• Deriving insights: By analyzing the diary entries, you can gain a deeper understanding of users' behaviors, attitudes, and needs. Look for patterns, recurring themes, and significant moments or events described in the diaries. These insights can help uncover underlying motivations, challenges, and opportunities that may inform the design of solutions.
  
  

• Identifying opportunities: Diary studies allow you to identify specific opportunities for improvement within the problem space. As you review the diary entries, pay attention to moments where users express frustrations, struggles, or unmet needs. These can serve as potential areas for innovation and development, guiding you towards solutions that address users' pain points.
  
  

• Validating or invalidating hypotheses: If you entered the diary study with specific hypotheses or assumptions about user behavior or needs, the data collected can help validate or invalidate those hypotheses. Compare the observed behaviors and experiences with your initial assumptions, and determine if the evidence supports or challenges your preconceived ideas. This iterative process ensures that your design decisions are based on real user insights rather than assumptions.

Remember, the value of the diary study lies not only in the individual diary entries but also in the collective understanding and analysis of the data. By synthesizing the small pieces of information, you can gain a holistic view of users' experiences, uncover meaningful insights, and make informed design decisions.

What do we create?

Diary studies offer several advantages and some limitations:

Pros:

• Non-intrusive: Diary studies allow participants to document their behaviors and experiences in their own time and space, without the presence of a researcher. This can result in more natural and authentic reflections compared to being observed directly.
  
  

• Capture real-time insights: By providing prompts or triggers, diary studies enable participants to capture their thoughts, feelings, and experiences as they happen. This real-time aspect can provide valuable insights into the context and emotional states surrounding certain behaviors.
  
  

• Psychological connection: The concept of a diary often evokes a sense of personal reflection and introspection. Participants may feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in this format, leading to richer and more candid data.
  
  

Cons:

• Reliance on self-reporting: Diary studies heavily rely on participants accurately and honestly reporting their activities, thoughts, and emotions. There is a risk of participants not accurately remembering or reporting their experiences, introducing potential biases or inaccuracies in the data.
  
  

• Limited exploration opportunities: Unlike contextual inquiry or interviews, diary studies provide limited opportunity for follow-up questions or deeper exploration of the contents. Researchers have less control over the information captured and may miss out on additional insights that could have been uncovered through further probing.

Despite these limitations, diary studies remain a valuable research method, particularly when direct observation is not feasible or when capturing real-time experiences is crucial. By carefully designing the study and combining the diary data with other research methods, you can mitigate some of the limitations and gain valuable insights into user behavior and experiences.

Customer Interviews

Customer interviews are an essential method for gaining insights from individuals who are directly involved in the problem space you're exploring. Here's a breakdown of the process:

• Preparation: Identify the specific problem space and target audience for your interviews. Develop a list of interview questions and topics you want to cover.
  
  

• Introduction: Begin the interview by introducing yourself, explaining the purpose of the interview, and assuring the participant that their responses will be kept confidential.
  
  

• Building rapport: Create a comfortable and friendly environment for the interviewee to encourage open and honest responses. Establishing rapport helps to establish trust and encourages participants to share their thoughts and experiences.
  
  

• Asking open-ended questions: Use open-ended questions to allow participants to express their opinions, thoughts, and experiences in their own words. Avoid leading questions that might bias their responses.
  
  

• Active listening: Pay close attention to the participant's responses and actively listen to what they are saying. Take notes or have a second researcher present to capture the details accurately.
  
  

• Probing and clarifying: Ask follow-up questions to delve deeper into specific areas or to clarify any ambiguous answers. This helps to gain a deeper understanding of the participant's perspective.
  
  

• Empathy and understanding: Show empathy towards the participant's experiences and challenges. Demonstrate that you genuinely care about their input and that you are actively seeking solutions to their problems.
  
  

• Flexibility and adaptability: Be prepared to adapt your questioning and interview approach based on the participant's responses. Allow the conversation to flow naturally while ensuring that you cover all the relevant topics.

  
  

• Wrapping up: Thank the participant for their time and participation. Offer an opportunity for them to ask any questions or provide additional insights if they wish.
  
  

• Analysis: Review the interview notes and extract key insights, patterns, and themes that emerge from the interviews. Use this analysis to inform the design and decision-making process.

By conducting customer interviews, you can gain valuable firsthand insights into users' experiences, needs, and challenges. These insights will inform the design and development of solutions that address their specific problems and improve their overall experience.

Why we do it?

Customer interviews are conducted for several important reasons:

• Obtain firsthand knowledge: Customer interviews provide an opportunity to directly engage with individuals who have experience within the problem space you're exploring. By talking to customers, you gain valuable insights into their behaviors, attitudes, needs, and pain points. This firsthand knowledge is crucial for understanding their perspective and designing solutions that truly address their requirements.
  
  

• Foster open conversation: Customer interviews allow for a more dynamic and interactive discussion compared to other research methods. By engaging in a conversation with customers, you can explore their experiences in-depth, ask follow-up questions, and uncover valuable details that may not emerge through surveys or observations. The free-flowing nature of interviews allows for the exploration of unexpected insights and opportunities.

• Identify opportunities for improvement: Through customer interviews, you can identify pain points, challenges, and unmet needs that customers face within the problem space. By understanding their frustrations and desires, you can uncover opportunities to enhance existing solutions or develop innovative approaches that better align with their requirements. Customer interviews help to surface the "why" behind their behaviors and preferences, enabling you to address their underlying motivations effectively.

Overall, customer interviews provide a human-centered approach to research, allowing you to gain empathy, uncover deep insights, and generate ideas for creating meaningful solutions that meet the needs and expectations of your target customers.

How do we do it?

Pre-interview:

• Identify a problem space: Determine the specific area or problem you want to explore. In this example, the problem space is time management for working parents.
  
  

• Determine the target participants: Define the specific group of people you want to research. In this case, it would be parents who use daycare for their children more than twice a week.
  
  

• Recruit participants: Find and invite individuals who meet the criteria of your target participants to take part in the interviews. You can recruit them through various methods, such as reaching out to existing contacts, using online platforms, or seeking referrals.
  
  

• Create an interview topic guide: Develop a structured guide that outlines the areas you want to explore during the interviews. This guide should contain questions, prompts, or key topics you wish to cover. It helps ensure consistency across interviews and keeps the conversation focused on relevant areas.

The interview topic guide can be created using flashcards, where each card represents a specific question or topic. This allows for flexibility during the interview, as you can rearrange or skip cards based on the flow of the conversation. The guide helps you stay organized and ensures you cover the necessary areas of inquiry.

By following these steps, you can prepare yourself for successful user interviews and gather valuable insights from your target participants.

During the interview:

• Begin the interview by introducing yourself and setting a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Explain the purpose of the interview and assure participants that their insights and perspectives are valuable.
  
  

• Use the interview topic guide as a reference to structure the conversation. Start with more general questions to establish rapport and then gradually delve into more specific areas of interest.
  
  

• Ask open-ended questions to encourage participants to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Examples of open-ended questions include "Can you tell me about a typical day in your life as a working parent?" or "What challenges do you face when managing your time between work and taking care of your children?"
  
  

• Practice active listening by paying close attention to what participants say and taking notes. Be curious and probe deeper when necessary to gain a better understanding of their perspectives.
  
  

• Avoid leading questions or biases that may influence participants' responses. Maintain a neutral and non-judgmental stance to encourage honest and genuine feedback.
  
  

• Provide participants with ample space to express their ideas and opinions. Be patient and allow pauses for reflection or additional thoughts.

  
  

• Capture the interview session through audio or video recording (with participants' consent) to ensure accuracy in capturing their responses.
  
  

• Adapt and adjust the interview flow based on the participant's reactions and the natural flow of conversation. Be flexible and responsive to their needs to maintain a productive and engaging discussion.

Post-interview:

• Review and transcribe the interview recordings, if applicable, to ensure accuracy in capturing the participants' responses.
  
  

• Analyze the interview data by extracting key insights, patterns, and themes. Use techniques like affinity diagrams, thematic analysis, or coding to organize and categorize the data.
  
  

• Look for common pain points, needs, desires, or opportunities that emerge from the interviews. These insights will inform the design and decision-making process.
  
  

• Share and communicate the findings with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the insights gained from the interviews are incorporated into the design and development of solutions.

Remember, customer interviews should be conducted with empathy, curiosity, and a genuine desire to understand the user's perspective. The insights gained from these interviews will help inform and shape your design decisions to create solutions that effectively address the needs of your target customers.

What do we create?

During user interviews, you will generate various types of information that can be used to derive insights and opportunities, as well as validate or invalidate hypotheses. Here are some common outputs or artifacts created during the interview process:

• Post-it notes: Use Post-it notes to capture key points, observations, quotes, or ideas that emerge during the interview. Each note can represent a specific insight or piece of information. You can later organize and analyze these notes to identify patterns and themes.
  
  

• Recordings: With the participant's permission, you can audio-record the interview to ensure accurate capturing of their responses and insights. Recordings can be valuable for later reference and in-depth analysis, allowing you to revisit the interview and extract additional insights.
  
  

• Written notes: Take detailed written notes during the interview to capture important details, participant responses, non-verbal cues, or any other relevant information. These notes help you remember specific nuances and moments from the interview that might not be captured in other formats.

These outputs serve as the raw material for analysis and synthesis after the interviews are conducted. They provide evidence and data that can inform the design process and guide decision-making. By reviewing and organizing these artifacts, you can uncover patterns, identify user needs and pain points, and generate new ideas or opportunities for improvement.

Remember to handle the data collected with confidentiality and in compliance with ethical considerations and privacy regulations.

Pros:

• Directed conversation: In a one-on-one interview, you have the freedom to guide the conversation and ask specific questions, ensuring that you cover the areas of interest or hypotheses you want to explore. This helps gather targeted information related to the problem space.
  
  

• Convenience and organization: Customer interviews can be conducted in a controlled environment, such as an office or meeting room, making it easier to organize and schedule participants. It also reduces the intrusion on their work or home space, increasing the likelihood of participation.
  
  

• Behavioral cues: By conducting face-to-face interviews, you can observe the participants' non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language. These cues can provide additional insights and context to their answers, helping you better understand their emotions and reactions.

Cons:

• Reliance on self-reporting: The information obtained through interviews relies on participants' ability to recall and accurately report their behaviors, experiences, and preferences. Self-reporting may lead to certain details being omitted or misrepresented, affecting the accuracy of the data.
  
  

• Misalignment with reality: Participants' mental models of their behavior may not perfectly align with their actual behavior. They may unknowingly present a biased view of themselves or struggle to articulate certain aspects of their actions.
  
  

• Lack of physical context: Customer interviews typically occur in controlled environments, which may not fully represent the real-world context in which users interact with products or services. This lack of physical context could lead to overlooking important factors that influence user behavior.

Despite these limitations, customer interviews remain a valuable and widely used research method. When combined with other research techniques, such as observational studies or diary studies, they can provide a more comprehensive understanding of users and their behaviors in a given problem space.

Customer Surverys

A customer survey is a research method that involves collecting data from users through a set of structured questions. Surveys are typically conducted remotely, either online or through other digital channels, and aim to gather information from a statistically significant sample of the user base.

Here are some key points about customer surveys:

• Data collection: Surveys allow researchers to collect data efficiently from a large number of participants. The questions are designed to elicit specific responses and gather users' opinions, preferences, or experiences related to a particular topic of interest.
  
  

• Structured questions: Customer surveys typically consist of a series of questions with predefined response options. These structured answers make it easier to analyze and quantify the data, enabling researchers to identify patterns, trends, and correlations.
  
  

• Remote administration: Surveys are often administered remotely, utilizing digital platforms, email invitations, or website pop-ups. This allows for widespread participation, as users can respond at their convenience and from various locations.
  
  

• Statistical significance: Surveys aim to collect data from a statistically significant sample of the user base. Statistical significance ensures that the findings can be generalized to the larger population and provide meaningful insights for decision-making.
  
  

• Opinion and perception measurement: Surveys are effective in capturing users' opinions, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs. They can help gauge user satisfaction, identify pain points, assess preferences, or gather feedback on specific features or services.

  
  

• Quantitative data analysis: The structured nature of survey responses enables quantitative analysis. Researchers can analyze the data using statistical methods to identify trends, calculate frequencies, correlations, and derive meaningful insights from the aggregated responses.

It's important to design surveys carefully, ensuring clear and unbiased questions, appropriate response options, and a user-friendly format. By analyzing the survey results, organizations can gain valuable insights that inform decision-making processes, product improvements, and overall customer satisfaction strategies.

Why we do it?

• Hypothesis testing: Surveys allow us to test hypotheses and gather data across a statistically significant sample. By formulating specific hypotheses about user behavior, preferences, or needs, we can design survey questions to collect data and analyze the results to validate or invalidate those hypotheses.
  
  

• Understanding user preferences: Surveys help us understand subjective areas by gathering users' opinions, attitudes, and preferences. Whether it's about design choices, branding, pricing, or other aspects of a product or experience, surveys provide a way to capture users' perspectives and preferences in a structured manner.
  
  

• Gathering feedback: Surveys allow us to collect feedback on what users like or dislike about a product, service, or experience. This feedback can provide valuable insights for improving existing offerings, identifying areas of concern, and addressing user pain points.
  
  

• Identifying feature importance: Surveys can help us understand which features or functionalities users value the most. By asking users to prioritize or rate different features, we can gain insights into what drives their satisfaction and focus our efforts on enhancing the most important aspects.

  
  

• Customer data collection: Surveys are an effective method to collect customer data, such as demographic information, usage patterns, buying behaviors, or other relevant characteristics. This data can be analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the user base and inform strategic decisions and targeted marketing efforts.

Overall, customer surveys provide a systematic and quantifiable approach to gather user insights, validate hypotheses, understand preferences, and collect data that can drive informed decision-making, product improvements, and customer-centric strategies.

How do we do it?

• Hypothesis testing: Surveys allow us to test hypotheses and gather data across a statistically significant sample. By formulating specific hypotheses about user behavior, preferences, or needs, we can design survey questions to collect data and analyze the results to validate or invalidate those hypotheses.
  
  

• Understanding user preferences: Surveys help us understand subjective areas by gathering users' opinions, attitudes, and preferences. Whether it's about design choices, branding, pricing, or other aspects of a product or experience, surveys provide a way to capture users' perspectives and preferences in a structured manner.
  
  

• Gathering feedback: Surveys allow us to collect feedback on what users like or dislike about a product, service, or experience. This feedback can provide valuable insights for improving existing offerings, identifying areas of concern, and addressing user pain points.
  
  

• Identifying feature importance: Surveys can help us understand which features or functionalities users value the most. By asking users to prioritize or rate different features, we can gain insights into what drives their satisfaction and focus our efforts on enhancing the most important aspects.