How do you keep the task analysis interview focused and relevant to the user's context and needs?

1 Prepare for the interview

Before you start the interview, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to learn from the user, and what tasks you want to observe or ask them to perform. You should also prepare a script or a guide that outlines the main topics, questions, and scenarios you want to cover, and the order in which you want to present them. A good script should be flexible enough to allow you to follow the user's flow and adjust to their responses, but also structured enough to keep the interview focused and consistent.

2 Build rapport and trust

The first few minutes of the interview are crucial for establishing rapport and trust with the user. You should introduce yourself, explain the purpose and scope of the interview, and assure the user that their feedback is valuable and confidential. You should also ask for their consent to record the interview, and explain how you will use the data. You should also try to make the user feel comfortable and relaxed, by using a friendly and conversational tone, and showing genuine interest and curiosity in their experiences.

3 Use open-ended and probing questions

The best way to elicit rich and detailed information from the user is to use open-ended and probing questions, that encourage them to describe their tasks, goals, motivations, and problems in their own words. For example, you can ask them to walk you through a typical task they perform, and explain why they do it, how they do it, what tools they use, what difficulties they encounter, and how they overcome them. You can also ask them to compare and contrast different tasks or situations, and to give examples or scenarios that illustrate their points. Avoid leading, closed, or suggestive questions, that imply a desired answer or limit the user's options.

4 Observe and document the user's actions and interactions

One of the main benefits of task analysis interviews is that they allow you to observe and document the user's actions and interactions, as they perform their tasks or simulate them. This can help you identify the steps, sequences, inputs, outputs, and feedback involved in each task, as well as the user's mental models, expectations, and preferences. You should pay attention to the user's gestures, facial expressions, eye movements, pauses, hesitations, errors, and corrections, as they can reveal a lot about their cognitive processes and emotional states. You should also document the user's actions and interactions, by taking notes, screenshots, photos, or videos, and using tools like flowcharts, diagrams, or matrices.

5 Ask for feedback and suggestions

At the end of the interview, you should ask the user for feedback and suggestions, to get their perspective on how to improve the tasks, systems, or products they use. You can ask them what they like or dislike about their current tasks or solutions, what they wish they could do differently or better, what features or functions they would like to have or change, and what ideas or recommendations they have for enhancing their user experience. You should also thank the user for their time and participation, and let them know how you will follow up with them.

6 Analyze and synthesize the data

After the interview, you should analyze and synthesize the data you collected, to extract meaningful and actionable insights. You should review the recordings, notes, and documents you created, and look for patterns, themes, gaps, and opportunities. You should also compare and contrast the data from different users, and identify similarities and differences. You should then organize and present the data in a clear and concise way, using tools like personas, scenarios, user stories, task models, or user journey maps.