This document contains questions that would be suitable for all user-types, including active bloggers. As we are using these interviews to create personas, rather than compare usersÕ specific answers, we envision that the interviews will be conversational. It will not be essential to get to each and every sub-question. The one exception is the questions regarding blogging behavior where comparison among user types is important for the personas.
ÒWe are asking them questions to determine the needs of specific populations for a new blogging application. WeÕve identified you as a potential user for this application and weÕre trying to figure out what potential users may have in common.Ó
The questions are grouped by theme. The first questions shaded in gray are background questions that lead from a discussion on oneÕs life and habits and funnel down to questions about news and information gathering. Finally, these lead to questions specifically about blogging (awareness, reading, and writing).
1) What would you describe as your full-time occupation? Do you have any other occupations?
2) Do you read as part of your occupations?
i) What kind of reading? Do you enjoy it?
3) Do you watch TV or video as part of your occupations?
i) What type of media?
4) Do you write as part of any of your occupations?
i) What type of writing
5) What do you like to spend time doing when not engaged in any of the above occupations?
6) What do you do for fun?
7) Do you watch TV?
i) What TV shows do you watch?
8) Why do you use your computer?
a) Do you ever use the Web to search for information, besides maps, directions, or weather? Example: research
b) From what location do you usually access the Web?
9) Do you have any sites you go to on regular basis?
a) Which sites/how often (daily, weekly, a few times a day)
b) Why do you go to those sites? What do you like about them?
10) Do you like to read for pleasure/read for purpose other than main occupations?
i) What kind of reading?
ii) What have you read that you have enjoyed recently?
11) Do you like to write?
i) If yes, why?
ii) What do you like writing about?
iii) What form does your writing take?
iv) How often do you write? Do you keep a diary?
v) If no, why not?
vi) Can you think of anything that might change make you interested in writing?
12) Do you like to stay up-to-date on news or current events?
i) If so, what topics do like to stay up-to-date on?
ii) Where do you get your information regarding current events?
iii) Do you mainly hear the news from people, newspapers, magazines, televisions, an Internet source, or other?
iv) Which ones?
v) Describe you top five news sources, across topicsÉ
13) Give an example of a recent information need and describe:
i) What is the general process you would go through?
ii) How do you decide if the information you find is relevant?
iii) How do you decide if the information you find is believable (credible)?
iv) Do you ever find yourself changing your information need in order to find more or better results?
v) When you find a relevant document, radio program, television show, do you every find yourself wishing you had more information?
vi) Do you ever go about trying to access more information on a topic?
vii) What methods do you use for finding more information?
viii) When using the Internet, do you ever follow links from articles, even if you have not finished reading the article?
ix) Is it important to you to keep track of where you are going?
x) How do you keep track of where you are going? Bookmarks? Pen/paper? Text document to take notes?
xi) Do you go to any sites on regular basis? What time of day (inc day, Of the week)
14) Have you ever heard of blogs?
i) If yes,
ii) In your mind, what is a blog?
iii) Where did you first hear the term ÒblogÓ?
(a) What are your general impressions of blogs?
iv) Have you ever read any blogs?
(a) If yes, which ones?
(b) How often do you read them? Do you have regular blogs you go to?
(c) Why do you read them?
(d) If no, why donÕt you read them?
(e) Do you subscribe to any blogs?
(f) Do you monitor any blogs?
(g) Have you ever responded to a blog?
(i) In what way (i.e.: a public comment or a direct email to author)
(h) How would you compare the blogs you read to other sources of information/news/etc?
(i) Do you read the posted comments on blog sites?
15) Have you ever written or maintained a blog or contributed to someone elseÕs blog?
i) If yes,
ii) What did you write about?
iii) Do you ever wonder who may have read your writing?
iv)
What do you look for when you read other peopleÕs blogs?
Has anyone
posted a reply to your blogs?
v) Do you generally respond to responses?
vi) Have you ever tried to find out what people might be reading your blog?
(a) How did you go about doing this?
vii) Have you ever communicated directly, via email, phone conversation, or other with one of your readers?
For advertisers and product managersÉ these questions would come up before the blogging questions. Question 19 would be incorporated into the blogging questions, perhaps as a final hypothetical.
16) What is the general process your company (or agency, or firm) uses to track its marketing efforts?
17) Are you personally involved in any of these research efforts?
i) If yes,
ii) What is your role? What resources do you use?
18) Do you/your company/agency contracted by your company actively monitor any Web sites or chat rooms?
i) Which ones or which types? (anticipating resistance hereÉ)
ii) How do you keep track of the information your pick up from these sources?
19) Would you ever consider using a blog as a source for this type of research or activity monitoring?
a) If yes, in what way?
b) If no, why not?