[Sigia-l] Sample question set for user research

[karl v]

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

Ziya:
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" 

<snipped>

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

Yes, Ziya, point well taken. Yes, the research would
be based upon a specific purpose, that of potentially
converging a set of storage management system products
into one common framework and potentially into one
common product or product line. Yes, the contextual
questions geared toward the user tasks, motivations,
goals and success metrics within the job that they do
that this product will serve as the essential tool or
means for doing that job will have focus. I certainly
didn't expect, nor intended to imply, that anyone in
Sigia-I would have had anything specific to contribute
within this narrow contextual realm. 

I am looking for common questions that we as experts
in IA, user research, usability, and HCI use to go
into just about any survey, interview, or any other
data-gathering technique; that the information
collected from these user research techniques define
the user profile(s) (e.g., user characteristics,
attributes, experience, education, skills, knowledge,
demographics, etc.) which in turn affects the design
of the product and gives it its focus, checks and
balances during that interaction design phase.

In other words, I'm seeking the "know your audience"
type of questions that we in this discipline use to do
just that, and then the types of questions that lead
to understanding what they do, what they need, what
they will like and want to use.

I hope that clarifies the intent of my original post.

Cheers for your patience,

Karl V

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