How I bombed my first generative research interview
And how I recovered.
I had just joined my second full-time job in user research at a company called Olapic. I was bushy-eyed and excited. A few weeks in, I was doing a good job learning and absorbing all the information I could. I was proud to have recently learned how to write research plans in a new way. I was also delving into the subject of discovery research, of which I had almost no experience.
I observed a few research sessions run by my manager. I tried to pay attention to the questions he was asking. I noticed he was entirely improvising his questions, following a loose guide of topics. He based his questions on what the participant had just said.
We had our weekly catch-up after one of these sessions. A few more interview sessions were coming up. I distinctly remember my manager facing me and saying, “Nikki, you’ll run the next generative research session. What do you think?”
I. Was. Terrified. But, of course, I agreed. The week between that meeting and the next interview was the fastest week of my life.
The day came. I remember standing by the printer, waiting for my discussion guide to print, and listening to the audible thumping of my heart. I grabbed my paper with trembling hands, and my heart climbed further up my throat as I sat in front of my computer. My heart galloped along as more people joined in observing.
I dialed in and started the call. My voice was so high-pitched and shaky as I spoke about the weather; I’m surprised the glass in the room didn’t shatter. Right from the start, the participant mentioned a specific feature I was not familiar with. It took me over five minutes of asking the same question before I could comprehend what she was explaining. The participant was frustrated, and I wanted to go home to cry.
I bumbled on but kept drawing blanks or misunderstanding what the participant was saying. About 15 minutes into our scheduled 90-minute call, I gave up. I was too flustered and embarrassed to form a coherent question. My manager stepped in and finished the rest of the interview as I sat and stared vacantly at the wall.
As soon as the 90 minutes finished, I mumbled sorry and ran to the bathroom. I cried for ten minutes straight. Later on, at home, I continued to cry. I woke up the next morning not wanting to go into work. I questioned my right to be a user researcher. I wondered whether this was the right job for me, or if I could be a good user researcher. I considered quitting and going into a role where I didn’t have to talk to anyone — I envied developers. I was defeated and demotivated.
How I recovered:
My manager sat me down after about two weeks. He asked me what was wrong and why I was avoiding research like it was the plague. I covered my face and admitted to him the feelings of imposter syndrome and the doubts I was facing. He told me we all make mistakes and that it wasn’t a big deal. He pointed me to a few resources on generative research, such as Indi Young’s website.
For the next two weeks, I scoured the internet for discovery research guides, talks, webinars, videos, and books. I read countless articles and watched as many videos as I could find. I wrote down many different questions I wanted to ask participants and used open-ended phrasing. I also took the time to have several people walk me through the product, and experienced it from a user’s perspective.
I got my curiosity back. That was the key. I was eager to learn by doing, instead of trying to be perfect at something I had barely practiced. A few weeks later, I went into the next generative research session. It wasn’t perfect, but I spent the whole 90 minutes asking questions. Some might have been leading, and some might have confused the participant, but it was a significant improvement.
I realized that it happens. We all have to start somewhere, and we can’t be perfect with everything. I had to relinquish my control if I was to be successful as a user researcher. I let go of the need to know and plan everything and allowed the participant to lead the conversation where they needed. I was living the phrase, “go with the flow.”
How to prepare:
- Know the in’s and out’s of the product you are testing. That way, if a participant brings up how they are using a product, you will understand what they are talking about. You also won’t have to ask them to explain irrelevant details. Still have them show you how they are using the product, of course!
- Understand any product-related or industry jargon the participant may use, so you aren’t asking clarifying questions on terms. Knowing the jargon also helps you keep up and relate to the participant on a deeper level
- Write a discussion guide with prompting questions if it helps you. I ended up having to do this.
- Use TEDW to foster open-ended conversations, and to write any questions beforehand
- Practice on a colleague (we always have dry runs for people who are learning)!
- Observe others conducting similar interviews and ask them how they prepare
- Assess your previous interviews to derive action items on how you might improve next time (check out my freebie here)
- Continue your curiosity and passion for learning. Seek out courses, podcasts, webinars, books, or blog posts on the topic and use them!
- Try an improv class! These classes help you to think on your feet and go with the flow
- Share your fears, doubts, or concerns with your manager, mentor, or colleague. Just voicing these thoughts helps you through them, and the person may have valuable resources to share
I hope this story does either, or both, of the following:
- Helps someone prepare for their first generative research interviews
- Shows someone that they are not alone in feeling like an imposter, or feeling inadequate in their role
After so many years of being in this field, I still fail and make mistakes. The other day, I overcommitted to a project the team could not support. I failed my stakeholders. I still wanted to crawl into bed, but I called them the next morning, explained my mistake, and mentioned other ways to support them. I am less likely to make that mistake again.
We have all failed, and we have all made mistakes. Failure and making mistakes are the best places from which you can grow. The beauty is, you will never stop making mistakes. And you will never stop growing and learning.
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