My socialized process evolution journey will begin through the lens of new projects. The first one aims to make cooking approachable and fun for those who generally don’t cook. Since my research phase is “self-funded” and conducted from my apartment due to social distancing, I reached out to friends and family to see who would be interested in doing a user interview.
The most eager responses were from friends that are already passionate cooks. While I greatly appreciate their support, I need to try a different approach so I can hear from people who either dislike or don’t often cook. So, I made the following post and sketch for social media recruitment last week:
“Hi Everyone! For a new design project, I'm hoping to interview those of you who either dislike cooking and/or don't have time for it. Please comment if you are able to participate in a quick ten minute call. Thanks!”
I might be wearing out my welcome by soliciting my friends so often for user interviews. I’m guessing many of us have encountered similar challenges when trying to connect with our audience. I would love to try other recruitment strategies for future independent or limited-budget projects. For starters, one of my friends and mentors Rachael Volker who is engaged in both design strategy and education, suggested that I develop ice breaker strategies like an interactive diagram where a user could circle the elements of an experience they dislike.