The best digital solutions are intuitive and easy to use. Human-centered design (HCD) is widely recognized as essential in guiding solution development that successfully meets user needs. But how do we maximize the power of HCD principles to truly learn from different user groups and action that knowledge to solve problems in ways that delight users and allow them to accomplish their objectives with ease? Questionnaires might be useful for collecting data from large groups, but they lack the depth and flexibility that designers need to fully learn how users think and the steps users may take towards achieving their goals. Focus groups can likewise provide a helpful forum for designers to learn from a set of users, but they can limit the scope of discovery by planning discussion topics too narrowly around initial assumptions.
To complement these approaches with human-centric discovery techniques, the design philosophy at Halfaker, an ÐÔÊӽ紫ý company, prioritizes one-on-one interviews as one of our key tools for learning about user goals and expectations. To glean insights from our leading user experience (UX) designers and researchers, we conducted a question-and-answer session with members of our HCD/UX corporate practice area to shed light on the tools and techniques they use to conduct effective user