Comments on: Remixing Deep Dive Interviewing Secrets http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html Search User Experience Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:00:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Interviewing Users — Eric Fain http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-11413 Interviewing Users — Eric Fain Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:00:44 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-11413 [...] http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html [...] [...] http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html [...]

]]> By: Deep Dive Interviewing Tips http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-9030 Deep Dive Interviewing Tips Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:41:11 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-9030 [...] simultaneous research projects, Steve Portigal’s sage advice on the art of the question (gleaned from the tweets on Steve’s Deep Dive Interview Secrets webinar)  is proving to be [...] [...] simultaneous research projects, Steve Portigal’s sage advice on the art of the question (gleaned from the tweets on Steve’s Deep Dive Interview Secrets webinar)  is proving to be [...]

]]> By: Vegard Sandvold http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8712 Vegard Sandvold Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:12:20 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8712 Very good question, Francoise. I'm no expert, so I can only speculate on the answer... Based on my experience with gestalt psychology, I believe silence can be a catalyst for change within the interview subject. And change unfolds over time. Gestalt therapy is very much based around the belief that change comes from awareness, and that awareness is brought on by dialog. Change in this case could mean that the subject remembers something previously forgotten, or gains new insights by connecting previously unconnected experiences. Perhaps it's as simple as giving people time to reflect upon their own answers. I'm more cautious about being silent whenever I interview an introvert, who typically need more time to reflect and formulate an answer. On the opposite side, whenever I interview an extrovert, who are naturally more expressive, I feel a stronger need to actively steer the conversation in the direction I want it. Finally (and this is a long shot) - perhaps it's related to the fact that we're much better at comparing items, rather than enumerating them. If you ask me to name all the colors in the world, I can probably do 20 or 30 of the top of my head. But ask me to compare to different shades of red, and I can tell you more about the different aspects of redness. Does it make sense? I'm not sure :-) What do you think? Very good question, Francoise. I’m no expert, so I can only speculate on the answer…

Based on my experience with gestalt psychology, I believe silence can be a catalyst for change within the interview subject. And change unfolds over time. Gestalt therapy is very much based around the belief that change comes from awareness, and that awareness is brought on by dialog.

Change in this case could mean that the subject remembers something previously forgotten, or gains new insights by connecting previously unconnected experiences. Perhaps it’s as simple as giving people time to reflect upon their own answers.

I’m more cautious about being silent whenever I interview an introvert, who typically need more time to reflect and formulate an answer. On the opposite side, whenever I interview an extrovert, who are naturally more expressive, I feel a stronger need to actively steer the conversation in the direction I want it.

Finally (and this is a long shot) – perhaps it’s related to the fact that we’re much better at comparing items, rather than enumerating them. If you ask me to name all the colors in the world, I can probably do 20 or 30 of the top of my head. But ask me to compare to different shades of red, and I can tell you more about the different aspects of redness.

Does it make sense? I’m not sure :-)

What do you think?

]]> By: francoise http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8690 francoise Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:00:25 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8690 "Silence is golden – after you ask a question, be silent to allow for a response. " "Listening: don’t interupt, be silent (even the “hmmm mmmm”), maintain eye contact, nod, and acknowledge e.g. " Yes, I agree. Do you know why those work? I mean structurally, analytically why? Francoise ( btw, I have taken a workshop with Steve and looked at some of his work which I think is outstanding.) “Silence is golden – after you ask a question, be silent to allow for a response. ”

“Listening: don’t interupt, be silent (even the “hmmm mmmm”), maintain eye contact, nod, and acknowledge e.g. ”

Yes, I agree. Do you know why those work? I mean structurally, analytically why?
Francoise

( btw, I have taken a workshop with Steve and looked at some of his work which I think is outstanding.)

]]> By: Vegard Sandvold http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8456 Vegard Sandvold Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:13:14 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8456 I can see what you're getting at. You have definitely given me something to think about, Ted. Thanks! I can see what you’re getting at. You have definitely given me something to think about, Ted. Thanks!

]]> By: Ted Elvhage http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8450 Ted Elvhage Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:50:58 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8450 Hmmm... interesting that he might be more popular in Sweden than in his own country... however, he's better than the swedish talkshow hosts ... and maybe not because of the questions, but because the rapport and contact he seems to get. I recently saw him ask some very "bad" / "tough" questions to Robbie Williams who was more than happy to admit to every mishap he ever had... not because the questions were soo good, but rather the system and setting they were in, everything around them and their "contact". Now that is good interviewing, getting people to talk even though they might not want to or feel interupted, or even the questions might be bad... ;-) Hmmm… interesting that he might be more popular in Sweden than in his own country… however, he’s better than the swedish talkshow hosts … and maybe not because of the questions, but because the rapport and contact he seems to get. I recently saw him ask some very “bad” / “tough” questions to Robbie Williams who was more than happy to admit to every mishap he ever had… not because the questions were soo good, but rather the system and setting they were in, everything around them and their “contact”. Now that is good interviewing, getting people to talk even though they might not want to or feel interupted, or even the questions might be bad… ;-)

]]> By: Vegard Sandvold http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8443 Vegard Sandvold Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:31:51 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8443 Well thank you, Ted! Usually it 's you who teach me about this stuff :-) Do you really think Skavlan is that good at interviews? I mean, he leads one of Scandinavia's most popular talkshows, so he must be good at something. But I feel he has a tendency to interupt his guests and to push them along in a way that is slightly rude. What specifically does Skavlan do to create a great atmosphere for answering questions? Well thank you, Ted! Usually it ’s you who teach me about this stuff :-)

Do you really think Skavlan is that good at interviews? I mean, he leads one of Scandinavia’s most popular talkshows, so he must be good at something. But I feel he has a tendency to interupt his guests and to push them along in a way that is slightly rude.

What specifically does Skavlan do to create a great atmosphere for answering questions?

]]> By: Ted Elvhage http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-deep-dive-interviewing-secrets-990.html/comment-page-1/#comment-8441 Ted Elvhage Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:59:46 +0000 http://www.thingsontop.com/?p=990#comment-8441 Thank you for an interesting topic an introduction to Steve Portigal. As you may know from before, questions interest me for many reasons - and in terms of learning more about interviewing, I suggest listening to some of the talkshow hosts - where one of the better ones in creating a great atmosphere for answering questions is your own norwegian Fredrik Skavlan. Thanks for a great post on a great and interesting topic. Thank you for an interesting topic an introduction to Steve Portigal.

As you may know from before, questions interest me for many reasons – and in terms of learning more about interviewing, I suggest listening to some of the talkshow hosts – where one of the better ones in creating a great atmosphere for answering questions is your own norwegian Fredrik Skavlan.
Thanks for a great post on a great and interesting topic.

]]>