- Facilitator / Moderator
- The person guiding the session, asking questions, and keeping the participant focused on tasks.
- Insight
- A meaningful pattern or explanation derived from multiple observations.
- Leading Question
- A question that nudges participants toward a certain answer. (Example: “Was that confusing?”)
- Observer
- Someone watching the session and taking notes without interfering.
- Participant
- The person taking part in the test. (Not “the user” — they’re a real human, not a persona.)
- Probe
- A follow-up question to go deeper (e.g., “Can you tell me more about that?”)
- Rapport
- The sense of trust and comfort established between interviewer and participant, which helps elicit more honest and detailed responses.
- Recommendation
- A suggested action based on findings.
- Recording
- Audio or video capture of the interview for later review and analysis.
- Recruitment Criteria
- The characteristics participants should have.
- Scenario
- The context you give around a task to make it feel real (e.g., “You just moved to a new city and need to…”).
- Synthesis
- The process of organizing and interpreting findings to identify patterns.
- Task
- A realistic activity you ask the participant to complete (e.g., “Sign up for an account”).
- Theme
- A recurring pattern across participants.
- Think-Aloud Protocol
- Asking participants to say what they’re thinking while completing tasks.
- Transcript
- A written record of the interview conversation.
List of site pages
