[Sigia-l] Sample question set for user research

[Ziya Oz]

Janna Cameron:

> I really appreciate the level of detail in this article on contextual
> inquiry:
> http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=227614.227615

The most fundamental point there being:

"The inquiry is based on a focus; that is, the inquiry is based on a clearly
defined set of concerns"

The reason I'm belaboring this point is that people confuse two different
aspects of user "research." One pre-supposes a (design/business) goal. You,
in other words, have a product/service in mind or on the drawing board and
want to explore certain issues. The other is when you have no idea/product
in mind and you're, in effect, fishing for them.

Trouble occurs when the two are mixed or when you believe the user
could/should actually "design" the product.

That's why I find the *generic* set of (contextual) questions without
defining the context, well, asking for trouble.

----
Ziya

Usability >  Simplify the Solution
Design >  Simplify the Problem