Two phases of each converstion. The first, exploring, can be done over the phone, the second, participating, should be done face to face. The first section, exploring, is a basic framework for the areas to dig in. A lot of times it’s better to prioritize building rapport and general pleasant conversational flow over getting specific answers, and we should let the (A)RM drive us if they are particularly interested in certain parts of the discussion, with us always being mindful of the time, and occasionally checking the framework for an opportunity to jump into a different topic.
(A)RMs should be interviewed individually to avoid “groupthink” (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/01/30/groupthink) which would cause multiple interviewees to converge in their thinking about the subject. Also there should ideally be a single person driving the conversation, and a note taker.
intro
It’s important for the RM to know that we’re not testing their ability to be an RM. If anything, we’re testing the tools. This context should help them open up and be less defensive. Also, it’s good to set the mood of Master-Apprentice where we are the apprentice learning the skills and methods of the RM.
- this call is to help us design a tool for (A)RM
- we’re trying to understand your process
- understand what makes you tick
- we’re definitely not testing you, we are testing the tools
exploring
agent
background
- educational: how did you end up being an (A)RM?
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experience with computers
- are they the type to use keyboard shortcuts
- do they know what RSS is?
who are the other stakeholders?
what is the political/power dynamic they exist in?
agency
- proactively developing this process?
- master apprentice learning model, or more systemic?
- do they search for tools that will help their job, or use what’s given?
- who are the people who help, how do they help?
- reasons for doing research / accumulating knowledge?
scene (time and place (digital and/or physical))
time
- time of day
- frequency
- duration
- what comes before and after?
- what takes priority for time/competing for time?
- splitting time with another activity like drinking coffee?
place
- what types of devices?
- what apps, parts of the internet
- are there similar qualities that move across?
purpose
- Trying to understand the why
- search for chains of cause and effect
- for example, is research all to get a sale? What are the intermediate steps.
- proactive vs reactive?
- is knowledge accumulation on a particular client/industry important to you?
act
- what is the actual act? what are the analogies?
- is it like farming or hunting?
- research v knowledge generation v building a rhetorical arguement
- what do you do once an insight is found?
- do you engage other support services (internal or external)? how?
participating
understanding the data
We discuss what we’re trying to build, something smart that gives them the information they need when they need it. We show them an excel of articles we think are directly related to their book on any scope (Macro, industry, etc). Ask them to tell us which are relevant and which are not.
understanding data representation
If this is over the phone, or webex, we could have a conversation about article imagery, is the heading enough, the first paragraph. If this is face to face we could go into a participatory design session were we literally work with them to draw the screens of the ideal interface on a whiteboard (this could be fun).
Participatory Design Session (Face to Face)
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Shapes on paper to present to (A)RMs face to face
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Outside of our interface
- email client
- labeled cartoon of a client
- labeled cartoon of a prospect
- labeled cartoon of an ARM
- labeled cartoon of a product specialist
- blank cartoon person
- phone
- laptop
- MS Word
- Excel
- linked in
- blank website template
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Inside our interface
- client book
- prospect book
- large article with image, headline and body
- article with just headline and body
- stripped down article with just text stripped of web context and distractions (like this img)
- article headlines
- blank article headline
- list of topics like M&A, law suits
- blank pills (like this img)
- a gear (good way of prompting “what would go in the settings page?”)
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references
- https://en.wikipedia/wiki/Participatory_design
- https://en.wikipedia/wiki/Dramatistic_pentad
- I’m using dramatism as a framework to sort of structure where to get questions and how to understand the space, but any framework will do (see I Don't Care About Your New Framework)