Overview
Lost or garbled
information is a terrible waste.
Especially if it's the information you gathered from an interview and
must now write into your User Document.
Here's how to prevent that waste.
The Situation
You had an
interview with a Subject Matter Expert (SME, someone who has the information
that you need) for your product. He/she
told you all that you needed to know.
However, by the time you got to write the material into the User
Document, you have forgotten much of what was discussed. Your notes only help a bit. This loss or garbling the information from
the SME that you need for your writing is the "Interview-Writing
Disconnect."
Solution
The solution is
divided into three components: Preparation Before the Interview, Actions
During, and Following the Interview.
Tip: If possible,
schedule the interview as close to the time that you are going to write that
part of the User Document. The longer
you wait between the interview and the writing, the more difficult it will be
to recall the content.
Before the
Interview
·
Your
guiding principle is to Be Prepared. You
should have read what you can about the product, its environment, who will use
it, and what they (usually) want to do with the product. Know as much as you
can before the interview. The more you
know about the product, the better off you will be in the interview.
·
Specify
the goals of the interview. Share this
information with the SME. Do this in an
e-mail before the interview.
·
Ask the
SME if you can (audio; video is too obtrusive) record the interview. Get a recorder (preferably a digital
recorder) and make sure it is set up to function properly during the interview.
·
Gather
any other materials you will need for the interview.
·
Set up
your recorder, etc quickly when the meeting begins.
·
(You
might want to practice taking legible notes...I sure need to)
The Most Difficult Part
Leave your ego at
the door. (This is really difficult.) Don't make signs that indicate that you
understand something that you do not.
Ask questions, get the explanation that you need. Here is something to tell the SME:
"If I ask what
sounds like a stupid question, bear in mind that I am acting based on the
knowledge that our User has."
During the Interview
Record the
interview (if permitted).
Start with some
overview questions, such as:
·
What is
this portion of the product (topic) called?
·
How
does this topic fit in to the product?
·
What is
this (portion of the product) used for?
·
When
would someone use this (unless it is "obvious")?
·
What
has to be set up before the User can use this part of the product?
·
Any
other conditions about when this would be used, or when it would be avoided?
After you have the
background information, then move on to the actual operation of the part of the
product. Ask any questions that you have
prepared and any others that come up in the interview.
Remember, if you do
not understand something, ask.
Ask some summary
questions. Review the steps that you
took, saying them out loud in your own words (especially if you are recording
the session). Have the SME correct any
mistakes that you make.
Ask if there is any
related information to this topic. Are there
any tips or traps using this part of the product?
More About Recording Information
If the SME points
to a part of the product (such as a window in a piece of software, or the
control panel of a barbecue) then say out loud what the SME is pointing
to. Say something like "we are
looking at the main address book window" or "we are looking at the
main burner control." This will
enable you to link what is happening in the interview with the audio tape.
If the SME performs
an operation, say what it is. "You
just entered the new person's name, and the 'New Card' window
appeared." Or "You just turned
the burner control to the 'Light' position, and now the igniter is clicking,
and there's the flame."
Take notes as well
as you can. But do not let any of your
activity get in the way of the interview.
It's not a good idea to keep stopping the SME while you catch up with
your note taking. You will have the
audio recording to fall back on.
The SME might
provide handouts for the interview. If
you are allowed to, take notes on the handouts.
The goal is to link your audio recording and notes and handouts
together. For example, if the SME
provides a screen print for a software product, you should link your notes,
audio recording and the handout together by reading the title of the handout
aloud. Do it as unobtrusively as
possible.
After the Interview
As soon as possible
after the interview, you must go over your notes and handouts. If possible, this should be done within
minutes of the end of the interview.
Find a quiet place (perhaps you have access to the interview room after
the interview) and go over your notes.
Review your notes
and add clarification to them. When you add the material to the notes do it
with enough detail so that someone who was not at the meeting will be able to
understand it. That person is you in even a day or two!
As soon as you can
get to it, take the expanded notes and write them into a draft of that part of
the User Document. That should be within a day or two of the interview, if
possible. Every minute's delay adds to the disconnect between what you learned
in the meeting and what you write.
Let your draft sit
for a day or so, then review and revise it for clarity and completeness. Consider sending the reviewed and revised
version of the draft to the SME for comments.
(You only want comments on the material, not on grammar.)
Schedule time for
this writing, even if you are juggling several writing projects. The time you save in not having to recall the
information at a later date will be a good investment.
The Bottom Line
You can avoid or
reduce the effects of the Interview-Writing Disconnect by being prepared before
the interview, asking questions and taking effective notes during the
interview, and reviewing and writing the material as soon after the interview
as possible.
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