Project Group Discussions for Reading Seminar 1

Tasks

Discuss each chapter and your questions and list the key points from the text, your discussions and any open questions you may have.

Questions

• What is an appropriate number of people we should conduct an interview on?
• What is the difference between a direct and indirect interview?
• What is collecting data automatically(Using sensors or other devices to automate collection of data or crawling the web to get user feedback about services or products)

Key points

• Random sampling and convenience sampling
• Triangulation

Discuss how the theory relates to your project. What are the pros and cons of the methods you use?

Methods we use:

• Interviews
• Direct observation in the field
• Focus group

Interviews:

Pros:

• Interviewer can guide interviewee if necessary. Encourages contact between developers and users
• Interview in groups allows diverse or sensitive issues to be raised that might otherwise to missed. Interviewees are in a supportive environment where they are encouraged to say more.

Cons:

• Time consuming
• Artificial environment may intimidate interviewee
• Interviewees may act differently when they know the interview is recorded.

Have you been able to apply them in an "appropriate" way according to the theory?

Appropriate way to do interviews:

• Semi-structured interview
• Audio recording with permission from interviewee

If you had endless resources (time and money) how would you carry out your project?

• I would probably conduct interview on more travelers on the ferry rather than the current 6 per group for the next few months.
• Install a device to automatically collect feedback from the travelers