5 Benefits of Participating in a User Research Interview

There are a lot of ways to share your thoughts about the products you use every day. You could write an online review, share a TikTok or fill out a survey.

Businesses appreciate honest feedback in any form, but there is one mode that’s considered the pinnacle of company-customer interaction: the user research interview. You, as a user, have such valuable use cases and feedback. The people who make and sell your favorite products want to understand how you think.

Interviews can be helpful for you, too. If you want to see a product change in a certain way, this is your chance to make that happen. 

Let’s dig into five positive outcomes of user research participation.

1. Enhances the Product or Service

First on this list is perhaps the most obvious benefit: the concrete improvement you’ll see as a result of your feedback. Conversations with users like you help companies better understand areas for improvement and inspire them to make changes that better meet their audiences’ needs. Because they can prepare for an interview, most companies will have well-thought-out questions addressing details that could make the biggest difference in their future decisions.

Depending on the type of product or service, it could take some time to see the results of your input. For example, if you’re giving feedback on a software platform, it could take six to nine months or longer to complete a software development cycle and incorporate meaningful changes.

2. Improves Your Team's User Experience 

Interviews with a product team let you voice your pain points beyond basic features. An interviewer might ask what your struggles are or what would make your life easier. You get to describe the user experience, which is all about how you fit this product or service into your day-to-day. 

Especially if you’re providing feedback about something you use for business, it’s important to compile the opinions of your whole team. The company will want to know about both individual and collective experiences to understand the full range of potential impacts and use cases. 

3. Creates an Opportunity to Share Your Thoughts and Opinions 

This seems like an obvious one, but participating in user research interviews allows you to feel like you have a real say in the direction of the product. An interview is a conversation, which allows you to get much more specific than you could in a simple survey response. 

It’s not often that we, as consumers, get to have our opinions and personal stories heard. When companies offer a platform for doing just that, it can help you feel like an integral part of another business’s story — and you are! 

4. Provides Insights Into Your Own Behavior

Taking part in a user research interview can give you a new perspective on your own behavior. Sometimes, you may not realize that you use a given product a certain way — or why. Participating in an interview can help you understand your subconscious choices and how to adjust for greater efficiency. 

You may also learn things from the product expert that you didn’t originally know, which can help you discover new ways to take advantage of its capabilities and achieve your goals. Researchers may even reveal tips and tricks you haven’t heard before. 

5. Develops a Relationship Between Your Team and a Company

Participating in one user feedback interview makes it easier and more appealing to participate in future rounds of interviews. Over time, you’ll become more comfortable with the process and get to know specific interviewers. 

Feedback conversations may even lead to the development of new partner programs or other mutually beneficial business opportunities. 

READ NEXT: Customer Communities: How and Why To Build One

Choose Software That Lends You a Voice

A company that regularly conducts user research interviews prioritizes customers’ opinions. Their team believes in building a product or service that people truly want and need.

Find out what it’s like to get to know a team that cares. Sign up for a free trial or demo today.

About the Author

Pat is a Product Researcher at Accelo, where he researches potential new features via customer feedback, competitive analysis and usage data. He also guides the Design and Engineering teams into new product direction by helping build the product roadmap. Pat has a deep knowledge of the platform, as he used Accelo as a client for two years, and has now been an internal product expert for four years.