An Approach for Developers
This guide is designed for developers who want to build user-centered products using practical feedback collection techniques that can be applied from the early stages of development.
Introduction
Collecting feedback for a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is essential to validate assumptions, improve the product, and better meet the needs of real users.
❌ Don’t make the mistake of developing something for months without knowing if it actually solves a problem.
Often, asking “do you like it?” isn’t enough: it tells us what, but rarely why. Many user actions are unconscious or context-dependent.
A great book on this topic is Design for How People Think, which offers useful approaches to uncover real insights through well-structured interviews.
Contextual Interviews
Contextual interviews are conducted directly within the environment where the app or service is used. Observing the setting, interactions, and actual tools being used can lead to a much deeper understanding than a simple sit-down interview.
⚠️ Usage context, technical background, and users' language are critical factors for UX!
Empathy and Observation Skills
As developers, we often assume the use of our apps is obvious or intuitive, but users operate in entirely different contexts. We must learn from them: understand their real workflows, daily frustrations, and the trade-offs they face.
The human brain gets overwhelmed in chaotic environments full of interruptions and noise. Keep that in mind: your product must adapt to real use cases.
Some elements to observe:
- How is the workstation set up?
- What tools do they use to track activities?
- How do they communicate with colleagues? Are they in open spaces or quiet environments?
- Do they move around often or work at a fixed location?
- Do they show any expectations or biases toward certain tools?
Ingredients for a Perfect Interview
- Reliable audio recorder: preferably with long battery life. A complete session ideally lasts 60–90 minutes.
- (Optional) Visual analysis tools: eye-tracking glasses (expensive), AI-based heatmaps, or simply observing where users look during interactions.
Try to keep the observation team to 2 or 3 people max. A large presence alters user behavior.
Icebreakers: Breaking the Ice
Here are some useful questions to start the conversation naturally:
- “What would I need to learn to advance in your job?”
- “What are the most common or stressful problems you face?”
- “Where did you start? How did you get to this role?”
- “What tasks waste the most of your time?”
- “Do you also handle other responsibilities?”
Final Recommendations
Here are some key tips to gather truly useful feedback:
🎯 1. Interview at least 10–15 people (but even 1 is better than none)
This number helps identify recurring patterns and avoid hasty conclusions based on a single perspective.
But don’t wait to have all 15: even one piece of feedback is a thousand times better than none.
📝 2. Take real-time notes, preferably on paper
Writing on paper is often faster, more reliable, and less prone to technical issues (no dead batteries, crashes, or distracting notifications).
Alternatively, record audio and transcribe later — but never rely on memory alone.
📦 3. Document everything systematically
After each interview, organize your observations into categories — this will help you recognize patterns and make more informed design and development decisions.
🧘♂️ 4. Don’t defend your product: just listen
Avoid justifying your choices or correcting the user if they “use something wrong.” Your goal is to learn, not to convince. Every mistake they make is a treasure: it shows where your product can improve.
In conclusion: designing for users means first observing, understanding, and adapting to them — not the other way around. When done right, contextual interviews can reveal more than any A/B test.