[IxDA Discuss] recording interviews

[Tamara Adlin]

hi guys! I've been a lurker, but i figured i'd chime in on this.
i did a LOT of research on recording phone interviews. and i finally  
got it figured out.

In order to figure this out, i tried the following: skype, jk audio  
recording device, paid conference call services.

And here's the best:

1. I used a free conference calling service called  
freeconferencecalls.com, but they are now basement ventures. still a  
great service and FREE. http://www.thebasementventures.com/. If the  
interviewee needs a toll free number, you can get one from them too.  
when i've used it, the toll free number has run me around $7 for an  
hour...EVEN for international calls, which is awesome. Just to be  
clear...the only cost is if you choose to use the toll free number.  
if you don't it's all free.
2. the service records the calls, again for free.
3. you download the mp3 from the site...or use their links to it.
4. here's the best part--transcribing. I found an excellent resource  
for that and she's MUCH cheaper than the resources you've mentioned  
so far. She's $35/hour of her work, or less if you have a really big  
job, and it takes her around 2x the length of the audio. So one hour  
of audio would cost you $70 for transcription (or a bit less). AND  
she's fast fast fast. She starts apologizing if it takes her more  
than a few days. Her work is first rate and she's a joy to work  
with.  Here's her info:
	Ani Lea
	ani.lea at gmail.com
	tell her tamara sent you.

If anyone wants to buy the JK audio phone-recording device, call me.  
I'll sell you mine for 1/2 price. i don't use it. But it can be  
helpful if you have major security concerns or something and don't  
want any recordings online (but do note that you need acct and  
password to get your recordings off the basement ventures site  
anyways, so to me that's enough).

And, if you want to see some of the results, check out my project.  
It's a collection of interviews with some of the most influential  
people in our field. I got fascinated by the fact that the 'original'  
people are still around and they have stories about where our  
discipline came from...because they helped build it. I love their  
stories. Note that there are many more interviews to come...it takes  
a while to polish them and get them posted.

Also note that I KNOW that text versions of long interviews aren't  
the most usable things in the world. But i took on this project and  
decided not to overthink it. so here it is.

http://www.uxpioneers.com


--Tamara

design twice, build once Tamara Adlin adlin, inc.  
tamara at adlininc.com  206.779.1776