Quiz 1 - Chapter 2 - Data Gathering Methods Flashcards
What are three data gathering methods?
Document review, direct observation, interviewing
What is triangulation in methods?
- gathering and analyzing data of multiple types, from multiple sources
- using multiple data gathering techniques
- strengths of one approach trades off on limitations of another
What is a document review?
Gaining an understanding of a system through looking through documented information such as system log files, analytics, trouble tickets, system documentation/help
What are the benefits of a document review?
- safe, easy place to start
- can process “offline”
- helpful for learning background about your site and participants
- learn language and vocabulary
What should we assess for a document review?
We must assess quality: authentic, accurate, current
What are the strengths of a document review?
- common orientation
- easy access, often free
- broad range
- unaffected by research process
- limited observer bias
What are the weaknesses of document review?
- Incomplete
- may not be sure of quality
- often only capture formal system
- open to broad interpretation
What can you discover with observation?
- realistic system use by observation
- what is actually done vs. what is described
- activities too routine to mention
- tacit processes
- collaborative elements
- impact of environmental factor
What are the advantages of observation?
- understand how people interact with system and how their environment impacts them
- see body language and facial expressions
- high-levels of accuracy of how they use tech
- very little technical knowledge is required
- very little cooperation
What are the disadvantages of observation?
- can be costly
- observer bias
- takes a lot of time
- doesn’t give a complete picture of issues that the user is facing
- users may behave differently when being watched, hawthorne effect
What should you include in effective notes?
mistakes, system errors and error messages, click-paths
What are structured interviews?
- Tightly scripted, almost verbal questionnaire
- replicable, but lacks richness
- analyze like questionnaire
- not really qualitative interviewing
How many times a day do you access the internet? [0, 1-5. 5-10]
What are unstructured interviews?
- guided by very scant script, if any
- rich but not replicable
- difficult to be systematic, problem of coverage
- preserves interviewee point of view
- interviewee led, interviewer probes
Please tell me your internet usage.
What are semi-structured interviews?
- guided by a script but interesting issues can be explored in more depth
- good balance between richness and replicability
- mixed analysis techniques
In a typical day, how often do you use the internet?
What should you avoid in interview question?
- multiple questions
- yes/no or obvious answer questions
- embedded/nested questions
- leading questions
