Comments on: How to ask ‘why’ without asking ‘why’ http://www.thinkflowinteractive.com/2009/09/01/how-to-ask-why/ News and ideas on user experience. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:36:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tyron Yamaguchi http://www.thinkflowinteractive.com/2009/09/01/how-to-ask-why/comment-page-1/#comment-582 Tyron Yamaguchi Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:00:06 +0000 http://www.thinkflowinteractive.com/?p=480#comment-582 True or not, that story will be often called upon as a clever way of justifying behavioral research and analytics. It's even so much better since Sony is the referred to brand, and yellow was the alternate color (anyone remember Sony Sports Walkmans with Auto-reverse?). Nice article, Karl. Insightful as always and helping all of us to improve how we execute our craft. True or not, that story will be often called upon as a clever way of justifying behavioral research and analytics. It's even so much better since Sony is the referred to brand, and yellow was the alternate color (anyone remember Sony Sports Walkmans with Auto-reverse?).

Nice article, Karl. Insightful as always and helping all of us to improve how we execute our craft.

]]> By: Dean Vipond http://www.thinkflowinteractive.com/2009/09/01/how-to-ask-why/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Dean Vipond Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:27:42 +0000 http://www.thinkflowinteractive.com/?p=480#comment-487 I remember a talk a few years ago at a design conference (criminally, I can't remember who gave it), where someone was telling a story about a stereo manufacturer. They were holding a focus group for a new design, which came in two variants - an all-black model, and one which comprised lots of bright colours. When asked whether they liked the brightly coloured one, the group gave extremely positive feedback, about how striking it was, how different and interesting. Attendees of the focus group as payment, were allowed to take a stereo home with them, and every attendee took a black one! Now, I'm not sure if this is an apocryphal story or not, but if true it's a good example of how untrustworthy asking people to vocalise their opinions is. Conversely, if I'm having a discussion with a client over some design work, if they don't like what is being presented, then asking 'why?' directly is the best way of getting them to form their opinions more clearly than just going on their gut instincts. I remember a talk a few years ago at a design conference (criminally, I can't remember who gave it), where someone was telling a story about a stereo manufacturer. They were holding a focus group for a new design, which came in two variants - an all-black model, and one which comprised lots of bright colours.

When asked whether they liked the brightly coloured one, the group gave extremely positive feedback, about how striking it was, how different and interesting.

Attendees of the focus group as payment, were allowed to take a stereo home with them, and every attendee took a black one!

Now, I'm not sure if this is an apocryphal story or not, but if true it's a good example of how untrustworthy asking people to vocalise their opinions is.

Conversely, if I'm having a discussion with a client over some design work, if they don't like what is being presented, then asking 'why?' directly is the best way of getting them to form their opinions more clearly than just going on their gut instincts.

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