User interviews are one of the most versatile tools in a researcher’s toolbox. However, we’ve also dealt with their limitations from time to time. When there are multiple items or topic threads for the researcher to follow up on, there can be significant cognitive load for both researcher and interviewee. To address this, Jing Jing has been experimenting with ways of making user interviews visual called plotting. It combines concept-mapping and think-out-loud for the interviewee, which reduces cognitive load and quickens the synthesis process for the researcher. This is a flexible method that is easy to learn and adapt to different situations by all types of practitioners. (Presented at "Strive 2019: Advancing Your Practice", a User Research conference)

1. Plotting: User
Interview Made Visible
Jing Jing Tan @jjtan87

2. Agenda
! Limitations of Spoken User Interviews
! Introducing: Plotting
○ Types of Plotting (with examples)
! Sample Case Study
! When & How to use Plotting
2User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

3. Limitations of Spoken
Interviews
Too much information, too little time
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4. 4

5. Limits in Working Memory
Spoken interviews are suitable
for conversational storytelling,
one thread at a time.
Cognitive Load for Processing
5User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

6. 6
http://translatethebrain.com/professionaldevelopme

7. 7
https://examinedexistence.com/what-is-working-memory-in-the-human-brain/
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

8. Cognitive Load
Interviewee: Retrieve long-term memory, store in working memory,
articulate thread-by-thread
Interviewer: Pay attention, process in working memory, prepare
follow-up threads
8User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

9. “ Cognitive Aids are tools such as
concept maps, checklists, glossaries
etc. that can offload some demands on
working memory.
9User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

10. Introducing: Plotting
User Interviews Made Visible
2

11. Concept-mapping
+ think out loud
Visual Framework
A visual framework is
prepared ahead of the
interview, and content
from the participant is
mapped to the framework
during the interview.
Real-Time
Participant interacts
with the content and
framework real-time.
Explanatory
When moving content
pieces around,
participant thinks out
loud to explain rationale
for where each piece is
placed.
11User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

12. 12

13. 13User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

14. Categorical plotting
! Moving content pieces into categories
! Categories can be pre-defined (“closed”) or created by
participant real-time (“open”)
Goal: Shows how items or concepts relate in participant’s mind, and
why.
14User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

15. 15User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

16. Dimensional plotting
! Moving content pieces into a continuous dimension
! Dimension is pre-defined
Goal: Shows how items or concepts rank in participant’s mind, and
why.
16User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

17. 17User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

18. Multi-Dimensional plotting
! Moving content pieces into multiple dimensions
! Dimensions are pre-defined
Goal: Shows how items or concepts interact along different dimensions
in participant’s mind, and why. This could show clustering or patterning
in data, to be probed further.
18User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

19. 19User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

20. Story plotting
! Storyboarding and indicating pain points
! Dimensions are pre-defined
Goal: Shows the key events in an experience, with participant
indicating their emotional dimension.
20User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

21. 21User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

22. Plotting vs. Card Sorting
22
Image Source: Hallam
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

23. Plotting vs. Card Sorting
23
Image Adapted From: Hallam
Informs:
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Informs:
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

24. Sample Case Study
Plotting in Action
3

25. The Brief
Goal: Understand people’s payment and shopping experiences,
to identify pain points and opportunities to improve omnichannel
shopping for the client.
Method: Exploratory 1:1 interviews with 20 participants.
25User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

26. Example of Categorical Plotting
26
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

27. Example of Story Plotting
27
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

28. Example of
Multi-Dimensional Plotting
28User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

29. 29User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

30. x 20 Participants
=
Personas
Omnichannel Journey Map
JTBD stories
Opportunities
30User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

31. How Do I Use Plotting?
When to choose this method, and how to design it.
4

32. Use plotting when:
32
Exploratory
Phase
Before solution has
been designed
When there are
multiple items or
dimensions to
explore
Multiple
Items
Relational
Connections
When researcher is
interested in knowing the
relational connections in
participants’ minds and
why
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

33. Benefits of Plotting:
33
Saving
Time
Easier
synthesis
Full
Range
Engaging
Participant
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

34. How to use plotting:
1. Define
Define the research
question you want to
investigate.
(e.g. What are people’s
attitudes towards
breakfast options?)
2. Establish
framework
Decide what the visual
framework would look
like.
3. Pre-plan interview
question(s)
Figure out the best
phrasing of the series of
question(s) to the
participant.
34
4. Conduct
Conduct the plotting
interviews and tweak
framework/questions as
needed.
5. Synthesize
Look for similar patterns
and themes during
synthesis.
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

35. Tools & Tips:
1. Physical vs. digital
Plotting can be done
with physical sticky-
notes or digital tools
(e.g. Mural).
2. Recall in silence
It’s best not to introduce
unnecessary cognitive
load when participants
are recalling items.
Allow them to write out
items in silence for a
few minutes.
3. Look away during
recall
Again, to avoid introducing
cognitive load during
recalling, look away and
keep yourself busy.
35User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan

36. 36
Thanks!
Any questions?
User Interviews Made Visible
— Jing Jing Tan