How to structure an Informational Interview

A great way to introduce yourself to different assistive technology types using Fable is to book an informational User Interview. When it comes to running an effective User Interview a little planning can go a long way. The discussion guide below will help you plan an informational session and some key points you should cover, to learn as much as you can during your time together. You can even share your video recording with your colleagues afterward, to help them learn more about assistive technology, too.

Illustration of brunette woman wearing a yellow t-shirt.

Amber (CPACC), Customer Success @ Fable

“Informational Interviews are a great introduction to assistive technology, as well as the Fable platform. If you’re not sure where to start, this could be just the right place!”

Introduction

To make sure everyone is comfortable, begin by building some rapport before diving right into the session. You may want to share some background on:

  • Your company 
  • Who your typical users are
  • Yourself as a moderator, and your role with the company

Part 1: Introduction to assistive technology

  • Can you tell me a little bit about your assistive technology and how it works? 
  • How long have you been using this particular assistive technology? 
  • Are there other similar technologies available? How did you choose the one you did?  

Part 2: Configuration preferences

  • Ask about preferences for different devices, including mobile vs. desktop.  What do you typically use and why? Do you use different devices for different tasks?  
    • If more than one used: Does the assistive technology you use work well with all the devices?   
  • If it works with all devices: Is there a particular device you prefer to use?  Why? 
  • Is there a particular browser that works best for you and your assistive technology of choice? 
  • If you’re on a website or an app, and you run into accessibility issues, what do you do? What is a good experience for requesting support online, if you need it?   

Part 3: General pain points, challenges and positive experiences 

  • Can you speak about some of the challenges or pain points you generally might have while navigating online using your assistive technology? 
  • What makes a smooth experience for you? 
  • What design or development decisions make or break an experience for you?  
  • Can you tell me about a website or app that you use often that works really well for you?  What makes it a good experience? 

Part 4: Interact with a website

  • At this point, I’d like for us to go through the link that was shared in advance. Go through a company product, or a page like Accessible University.  
  • Can you share your screen and walk me through how you might navigate and explore this website? 
  • Can you attempt to complete a key task flow (provide one) and talk me through some feedback as you go? 
    • How is the experience? 
    • Did anything unexpected happen?
  • Do you have the information and control you need to complete the task?  
    • What’s missing?  
    • What could be improved?  
    • What’s working well?  

Go forth and interview!

We hope this has given you a few new ideas, as you plan your user interview(s) with Fable. Informational interviews are a great way to get an introduction to the Fable community, and gain confidence and understanding around different assistive technologies. If you have any questions, feel free to schedule time in our weekly support hours.