[IxDA Discuss] Asking questions to participants in a positive or negative way ?

[Alexander Baxevanis]

More importantly, the question you that should always be asked if you
want to get any insights that will help you improve your product is
WHY they think your product is (un)usable.

On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 11:21 AM, Steve Baty <stevebaty at gmail.com> wrote:
> Chiwah,
>
> It's preferable to ask the question in a neutral way: "Consider your
> experience with this product. Did you find it:
> - very difficult
> - difficult
> - average
> - easy
> - very easy"
>
> Alternatively, you could ask them to rate the usability from 0-5 or 0-10
> etc.
>
> Otherwise, you do indeed risk biasing the responses. A really good book to
> read on the topic is 'Improving Survey Questions: Design & Evaluation'
> http://www.amazon.com/Improving-Survey-Questions-Evaluation-Research/dp/0803945833
>
> Regards
>
> Steve
>
> 2008/5/20 chiwah liu <chiwah.liu at gmail.com>:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> If I want to do a survey to participant about, for example, usability of a
>> product. Is it better to formulate questions in a positive way ? "Is this
>> product is easy to use ?" or rather in a negative way "Did you experience
>> difficulties using this product ?"
>> Or maybe I should ask them both, because a user could experience
>> difficulties in a product but still find it easy to use.
>>
>> What do you think about that ?
>> chiwah
>> ________________________________________________________________
>> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
>> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
>> Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe
>> List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines
>> List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
>>
>
>
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------
> Steve 'Doc' Baty B.Sc (Maths), M.EC, MBA
> Principal Consultant
> Meld Consulting
> M: +61 417 061 292
> E: stevebaty at meld.com.au
>
> UX Statistics: http://uxstats.blogspot.com
>
> Member, UPA - www.upassoc.org
> Member, IA Institute - www.iainstitute.org
> Member, IxDA - www.ixda.org
> Contributor - UXMatters - www.uxmatters.com
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe
> List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines
> List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
>