With the boomerang technique, the facilitator formulates a generic, nonthreatening question that they can use to push the user’s question or comment back to him. This will naturally put the user in the mindset of answering the question by elaborating on what he meant by those same words.Įcho Audio Example (Note that I play both the user and the facilitator.) Say these few words while using a tone that makes it clear that the phrase is a question.
User: This table is weird, well, hmmm, not sure what, uh… Here are two examples of good echo technique: Instead, they just parrot and probes in a benign way. Using the exact word(s) that the participant used ensures that the facilitator does not bias the participant by making a suggestion or describing anything in the interface. With the echo technique, the facilitator repeats the last phrase or word the user said, while using a slight interrogatory tone. Instead try the echo, boomerang, or Columbo techniques described here. There is no need to panic or blather on when a user asks a question. Probing at the right times, without making mistakes (such as leading the user or asking closed questions which beckon only yes or no answers) can reap rich responses and lead to insights about exactly why a design is or is not useful and usable. Sitting completely mute is probably better than saying too much, but it's not an advanced facilitation practice as it doesn't enable gathering the most possible information during a study. Go the complete opposite direction and stay completely silent, succumbing to fears about interrogating the user.Interviewing methods are different from observational methods. While interviews can reap fruitful information about people’s desires and impressions, direct observation of live user behavior is an invaluable research method when trying to learn what people actually see, act on, and how they interact. Treat the test session as a conversation rather than an observation.Talking too much, at inappropriate times, or leading the user can affect what he does and says, which can invalidate part or all of the research findings.Commence nervous chatter or panic and fumble for words, worrying about the negative impact they may be making as they speak.So it is totally understandable why most of us have trouble facilitating, making classic mistakes such as: Admittedly, facilitating a usability study is not a natural way to interact with other human beings. How does an unprepared usability-test facilitator respond when the user asks her a question or offers an indecipherable comment? Usually, not well. Facilitation Techniques for Handling Test Users’ Questions During Usability Studies Columbo." No this is not a bastardized version of the NATO phonetic alphabet, rather it’s a handy way of remembering 3 safe and productive approaches for interrupting or answering users during usability tests and other research studies.