When doing user research, don’t ask leading questions. By definition they encourage the questionee (not a word) to give you the answer you want.
It can be nice getting what you want sometimes. But in this case you aren’t looking for the “answer” itself, you want know how the user feels. What are you relying on to have that feeling communicated to you?
Their “answer”. If you can even call it that.
An answer that is already being run through the filters. Filters we all use so that our words are socially acceptable. The result? The answer is often so cloaked in preconceived notions and social tradition that it can be very hard for even a seasoned a researcher to discern truth and actionable insight from a user’s “answers”.
Bottom line: when it comes to user research, tainting user’s minds with positive or negative connotations is just shooting yourself in the foot.
Leading question do however prove very effective for getting exactly the answer you want. That’s big business in the infotainment industry.
Skip ahead to 5:30 and check out a not-so-subtle leading question . Note the words “fundamentally impossible” and that the question he asks could be answered “yes” or “no”.
Don’t do that stuff. Or get in the face of the questionee (still not a word), for that matter. Pretty much don’t be this guy.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c |
| Anchor Management | |
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Article by chris loughnane
Chris is Design Engineer + Sustainability Advocate at a Boston area design consultancy and has written 127 sweet posts for the Product Development Notebook.
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