Usability interview

In this approach, the users work with the program and inform the test supervisor about their impressions and opinions on the program as part of a subsequent interview.

Procedure

• With respect the user friendliness of an e-learning system or even just a module, it is often recommended that the  users be surveyed retrospectively after the first time use. Any reservations or problems which users mention as system weaknesses are recorded on a wish list and serve as a guide towards improving the user friendliness of the system.
• An interview schedule structures the discussion (semi-standardised interview) and has the advantage that previously identified problem areas can be brought up independently of the partner, the interviewer, or the discussion situation, and that the amount of data gained per interview remains manageable.
  

You can find examples of an interview schedule at the following link: Interview schedule for usability interviews (doc, 32 kB, in German).

• Interviews should be as standardised as possible.

You can find further information on interviews in the general part of this handbook on page Interview.

Conclusion
Interviewing is a very common and appropriate method of surveying users on their experiences with a program. Frequently, interviews are also combined with other methods (e.g. with thinking-aloud and log-file analyses). Usability interviews are normally used at an early phase of development, with a few people (5-10)  providing detailed and in-depth feedback as "pilot users" on the usability of the software and, if possible, solutions to problems in usability are being developed in cooperation with the users.