UX interview questions to ask during research
By: Allan Wintersieck
Tags: Product Design, UX Research, Cx, UX Design, User Research

You’re tasked with completing a UX/UI research project. Whether for a cloud-based application, communications website, or other interfaces, you need to sit down in a room and talk to real users.

Real users can provide unique insights into what motivates them and how they interact with products and brands. This insight, in turn, can fuel your UX/UI strategy and leave you with an evidence-based digital product plan.

Coming up with engaging questions can be a challenge, which is why we’ve taken the following questions directly from our team’s UX/UI handbook. We hope these questions shape your UX research and presentation.

UX Interview Questions — Motivations

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

What is your relationship with BRAND? (If you are an employee, how long have you worked at BRAND?)

What are the general goals you’re trying to solve with our website/application?

Before this product, how did you feel?

Once you started using this product, how did you feel?

What do you like about BRAND?

What do you dislike about BRAND?

If BRAND ceased to exist, what would you use instead and why?

UX Interview Question Examples — Current Use

What were your first impressions of BRAND’s app/website?

Do you regularly use the website/app? If so, what for?

Which existing pages on the website/application do you find useful or visit frequently?

What do you like about the existing site/application? What parts of it are most useful for your role?

What pain points do you experience while using the website/application?

How do you currently navigate the website/application when you are looking for something? (i.e. Google, search bar, menu, etc.)

What other resources do you use to find information about this product/industry?

Is there anything you think the website/application is missing that could make it more useful for you?

UX Interview Question Examples — Future Use

What do you believe are a few of the most important components of a new website/application?

Which websites/apps do you expect to spend most of your time this year and why?

Do you prefer using a mobile device, tablet, or desktop?

Where are you when you access this website/application?

What would make you stop using this website/app?

There are many questions that will depend heavily on your product or industry, so don’t forget to brainstorm with two-three designers, business analysts, or product managers when creating this list of questions.

Tips for Conducting a User Interview

Don’t forget to ask open-ended questions, for example, “is there anything else that you’d like us to know about your experience?” This gives your users the opportunity to share information that you might have missed — which can help you refine your questionnaire for the next round of user interviews.

Don’t lead the witness. Asking leading questions won’t get you an honest answer. Most of the time, your user will respond in the way you phrased the question which only adds to personal biases.

Whether you want to send these questions ahead of time is up to you. There is as much benefit to off-the-cuff answers as there is to allow users to think before they respond.

For additional conversation, consider holding a multi-person interview or focus group. Ask your UX questions the same way, but let the group brainstorm and play off each other’s answers. This can help you dive deeper into their core motivations.

Additional Reading

Five questions UX/UI designers should be asking themselves before a project.

To create a UX/UI report for stakeholders/clients, consider using this template.