PRIVATE CAMERA CONVERSATION - A NEW METHOD FOR ELICITING USER RESPONSES

This paper discusses a new method called Private Camera Conversation. This method can be used to elicit user opinions on various subjects li ke their use of products. Initial impressions of the method are given on the basis of three small studies in which the method was employed. The method has not yet been validated and compared with existing human factors methods. This study reports the first findings of the applica tion of the method. With Private Camera Conversation people are invite d to talk about a particular topic in private to a video camera. The p articipants themselves decide when they want to start and when they wa nt to stop the recording session. Initial impressions are that the met hod has potential benefits for eliciting rich and useful responses eve n with respect to 'personal' issues. The Private Camera Conversation m ethod seems particularly suitable for obtaining information about the social context in which products are used and about qualitative aspect s of product use. The method is inviting and entertaining for particip ants and easy and effective to carry out. Optimal exploitation of the method has to be realized through further development. We hope this ar ticle will be a catalyst for further research.