Responsibilities of an Interview Moderator: A UX Researcher’s view

User interviews are a great way to gather detailed information from participants about their needs, preferences, behaviours, attitudes, and opinions on a specific topic or product.

An interview moderator has a lot of power and responsibilities in ensuring the success of the session. They are not only responsible for asking the right questions and listening to the participant’s responses, but also for managing the session flow, balancing the research goals, protecting your organisation’s reputation, taking care of your own well-being, and ensuring the participant’s comfort and satisfaction.

A book called ‘The Moderator’s Survival Guide’ by Donna Tedesco and Fiona Tranquada is a helpful resource for understanding the responsibilities of an interview moderator. Let’s look at each of these aspects in more detail.

The participant’s well-being is paramount in any user research session, but especially in an interview where the moderator and the participant are having a one-on-one conversation. The moderator has to ensure that the participant feels comfortable, respected, and valued throughout the session. This means:

By taking care of the participant’s well-being, the moderator can create a positive experience for both parties and elicit rich and honest insights.

The moderator’s well-being is also crucial for a successful interview.

The moderator has to handle tricky situations with professionalism, confidence, and resilience. Here are a few ways that can help the moderator maintain their well-being :

By taking care of your well-being, you can maintain your focus, energy, and motivation throughout the interview.

• Define clear and specific research goals that are aligned with your organisation’s objectives and stakeholders’ expectations
• Communicate your research goals to your participants at the beginning of the interview so that they understand why they are participating and what they can expect
• Follow your study plan as closely as possible but be ready to adapt if new opportunities or challenges arise during the interview
• Document your observations and findings accurately and thoroughly during and after each session

The research goals are the main reason why you are conducting an interview in the first place. The research goals define what you want to learn from the participants and how you will use that information to improve your product or service. Therefore, it is essential that you:

By following your research goals, you can ensure that your interview is meaningful, useful, and impactful for your organisation.

Session management refers to how you organise and run your interview sessions efficiently and effectively. Session management involves various logistical aspects such as:

By managing your sessions well, you can ensure that your interview runs smoothly and professionally.

Your organisation’s wellbeing refers to how you represent and protect your organisation’s image and reputation during and after the interview. Your organisation’s well-being depends on how you:

By taking care of your organisation’s well-being, you can enhance your organisation’s credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of your participants and stakeholders.

As you can see, moderating interviews is a complex task. It requires a lot of skills and judgment that can only be developed through practice and experience.

As an interview moderator, you have a lot of responsibilities to balance the competing needs of the participant, the research goals, the session management, and your organisation. You also have to deal with various common, tricky, or sticky situations that may arise during the session. It is also a rewarding and enjoyable activity that can provide valuable insights and connections that can help improve your products and services. Thank you for reading and happy moderating!

Originally published at ethnity.com