A qualitative method and a generative method.
Stakeholder interviews are structured and moderated conversations with key individuals who have a vested interest or influence in the user experience of a product or service. Occasionally, you might use it as an evaluative method, but in these cases, this will be more similar to usability testing than a stakeholder interview.
These stakeholders typically include:
- Owners and executives
- Project managers
- Developers
- Designers
- Marketers
- Customer support representatives
- any other relevant parties involved in the product's development and success.
It is important to note that not all stakeholders are the ideal end-user. However, their opinions should be considered as they are almost subject matter experts or key decision-makers.
Stakeholder interviews provide an opportunity to gather unique insights, perspectives, and requirements from these individuals to inform the UX design process. These interviews help product and product strategists, researchers, and designers understand the business goals, key objectives and metrics, expectations, constraints, and priorities set by stakeholders. They also provide an opportunity to align everyone's understanding of the target audience, business objectives, and project scope.
During the interviews, UX researchers or designers ask questions related to the stakeholders' roles, responsibilities, and their understanding of the user experience.
Topics to explore:
- business goals
- target audience demographics
- desired user behaviors
- competitive landscape
- technical constraints
- brand guidelines
- existing user research or feedback
UX stakeholder interviews are essential for several reasons:
Aligning Objectives: They ensure that the UX design process is aligned with the goals and expectations of all stakeholders. Understanding their perspectives helps in creating a shared vision and setting realistic design objectives.
Gathering Requirements: Stakeholder interviews provide valuable insights into the specific requirements, constraints, and priorities that need to be considered during the design process. They help in understanding what stakeholders consider important for the success of the product.
Building Relationships: Engaging stakeholders through interviews fosters relationships and establishes open communication channels. It creates a collaborative environment where stakeholders feel involved and valued in the design process.