Activity: User Research Practice

Objective

Practice empathy interview techniques for understanding vulnerable user needs without extractive research practices.

Setup

Work in pairs - one person acts as interviewer, one as community member with lived experience.

Scenario Options

Choose one community context:

• Food insecurity in urban areas
• Mental health support for teens
• Accessibility needs for vision impairment
• Climate anxiety in college students

Interview Framework (15 minutes)

Opening (3 minutes)

"I'm learning about [chosen scenario]. Could you share what a typical day looks like?"

Core Questions (10 minutes)

1. Context: "What challenges come up most often?"
2. Current Solutions: "How do you handle these situations now?"
3. Community Strengths: "Who or what helps most?"
4. Technology Role: "How does technology currently help or hinder?"
5. Ideal Support: "If you had a magic wand, what would change?"

Closing (2 minutes)

"What would make you trust a new app with your personal information?"

Role-Playing Guidelines

As Interviewer:

• Listen more than you speak
• Ask "tell me more" instead of yes/no questions
• Don't suggest solutions during interview
• Focus on understanding, not fixing

As Community Member:

• Draw from real experiences when possible
• Express both strengths and challenges
• Share concerns about privacy and trust

Reflection & Switch (10 minutes)

Switch roles and repeat with a different scenario.

Key Insights

Document three discoveries:

1. What surprised you about the community's existing strengths?
2. What privacy concerns emerged?
3. How might this change your app design approach?

📤 Submit Your Work

Complete this activity and submit your work through the Activity Submission Form