Asking the same question in two different ways

By Susan Ingram, 18 October, 2007

I learned a valuable lesson recently. During a recent website redesign project, I found that asking the same questions in two different ways, in two different locations, produced some really valuable insights. During initial focus groups with users, I asked if they needed a particular type of online form. The resounding answer was "No". A week or so later, I conducted a few site visits and asked the same question in a different way and found out some interesting tid-bits. Users definitely didn't want the new online form because they were very used to the current form. From an outsiders view, I could see the current form was not user friendly and was missing some information that was key to the organisation. Users had invested time learning the current form and had developed workarounds so that they could use it, and had become quite adept at filling out the form. They didn't want things to change because they didn't want to have to learn something new.

And the lesson is...

Be careful how you phrase questions to users and try to gather as much background information about their answers as possible. Be aware that humans, in general, do not like change, and if something remotely sniffs of a change, they may resist it, even if the current offering isn't the best.

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