User research requires practitioners to convey a user’s message in the design of products and services. In particular interviewing and focus groups require excellent interpretation to allow the message to be conveyed authentically and without bias. The words we use to describe our analysis have a direct impact on how design is delivered. Have you ever wondered how well you achieve this? Do you wonder if you have introduced bias by some of the wording you have used? Professional interpreting is an impressive skill requiring exceptional sensory, motor and cognitive skills when translating a client's message effectively and unambiguously. In interpreting it is important to capture the linguistic nuances in one language and recreating them in the other language, using style and register appropriate to settings, culture and client's needs [1]. What can we as User Experience practitioners learn from interpreting in conveying our own users message? How do we translate our users needs and do we do it effectively? Do we use the appropriate linguistic style and nuance when interpreting this message for our clients. What do you do to ensure you understand your client’s needs and how you translate it into a product they have in their mind? In this practical hands on session we will witness some live interpreting and analyze the processes involved. Learn about some of the techniques used in interpreting, learn about the relevance to user research and try them out in some “hands on” user research. We will look closely at the importance of the language used and it’s nuances. Learn how to work on it to get more accurate and desirable outcomes. At the end of the session you should know what skills are used in effective translation and interpretation. You will also know how you can effectively train yourself to be a better interpreter and effectively become better at understanding and communicating with others.

1. Making sure nothing is “lost in translation”
“Language Scramble” by Eric Anderson (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

2. I am a User Experience Consultant
based in Cambridge, UK
I tweet @Paula_deMatos
I am South African & Portuguese
A special interest in the cross-pollination of
related domains e.g. Information
Visualization.
Paula de Matos
Photo Credit: Jenny Cham

3. • My name is Boguslawa
Kaplan
• I live in Cambridge
• I am a freelance interpreter
and translator
• My working languages are Polish
and English
• I specialise in public services
interpreting

4. Thank you to Nikiforos Karamanis
4www.pauladematos.co.uk
• User Experience Designer at
EMBL-EBI
• User research with translators
• Provided much insight into
traditional ethnography
• Twitter: @technorasis

5. What is interpreting
5
Simultaneous interpreting video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vfpRO2mw9k

6. The aims for today?
6
• Introduction to the role of interpreter and
cognitive model
• Shadowing activity
• Why is language so important
• Observation vs Evaluation activity
• Context and environment in communication
• Listening and Research activity
“bullseye” by Jerold Jackson(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

7. Our workshop has been drawn from….
7
Our Workshop
Non-Violent
Communication
Interpreting
Ethnography

8. Boguslawa Kaplan
Introduction to the role of interpreter and
cognitive model
“Interpreters at G20” by Downing Street (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Introduction to the role of interpreter and a
cognitive model

9. Who is an interpreter?

10. Interpreter vs Translator
“At the Krishna Lounge” by Mahat Tattva Dasa (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

11. • works with text
• types:
• written translation
• sight translation
“Typewriter Man!” by starmanseries (CC BY 2.0)
Translator Translator

12. “Dr. Breuder Nursing Lab Simulation 2013 27” by COD newsroom (CC BY 2.0)
Where do I work?

13. How to become an interpreter?

14. Cognitive model of interpreting
Reception
&
Comprehension
Analysis
&
Encoding
Expression
&
Evaluation
Interpreted
message
(Stewart, Schein & Cartwright, 2004,1998)
“I like jacket
potatoes.”
What is she
saying? How
can I say it
in Polish?
Can I say it
like this “”?
Is there
anything I’m
missing out? “Lubię ziemniaki
pieczone w
mundurku.”

15. Skills and process

16. Activity 1: Shadowing exercise
Work in pairs. One person reads out a paragraph and the
partner (the interpreter)
1) Listens and repeats word for word (shadow)
2) Shadows with 3-4 words delay
3) Listens and simultaneously rephrases the message,
changing at least one word in each sentence.
Swap roles

17. Why is language important?
“Language Scramble” by Eric Anderson (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

18. Why is language important?
18
“tea for the tillerman” by “brighter than sunshine” (CC BY-NC 2.0)

19. Prepare for the language in your session
Interpreters prepare for a session in advance.
In UX, we should familiarise ourselves to a certain extent
with the domain language.
19
Tip
“Prepare” by Photo Monkey (CC BY 2.0)

20. Mindful of intonation in interpreting
• Intonation is the “music” of a language – the rises and
falls used when pronouncing
• The intonation can dramatically alter the interpretation
and understanding of the spoken word.
• Interpreters pay particular attention to intonation to
ensure clarity.
20
“Bent Notes” by Michael Summers (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Tip

21. “Bent Notes” by Michael Summers (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Mindful of intonation in UX
• By being mindful of intonation in UX:
• We can avoid leading questions.
• “Did you like 2 any 1 of the colours?”
• “Did you like any of the colours?”
• We can interpret our participants responses correctly.
• “Yes” as opposed to “Yeeessss”
21
Tip

22. Be less specific when uncertain
22
Tip
“Felony’s – So good it’s a crime” by Richard Elsey (CC BY 2.0)
“Howl - misdeamnours” by Parlophone Music Norway (CC BY-NC
2.0)

23. Can be informal
• Sometimes done straight after a usability session
or interview
Can be in a report/presentation
• Formal communication with perhaps more
thought gone into the format
Communicate research without evaluation
23
Tip
A real danger of inadvertently biasing research by the
language we choose to use

24. Observe without evaluation
24
Tip
Research Record Interpret Report
“She hesitated when checking out”
“She seemed to struggle when checking out”

25. Observe without evaluation
25
Tip
Research Record Interpret Report
“The participant clicked twice on the checkout
basket”
“The participant seemed frustrated”

26. Non-Violent Communication methods can be useful in
objective descriptions
26
Empathetically
Listening
Honestly
Expressing
Observations
Feelings
Needs
Requests
Observations
Feelings
Needs
Requests
Learn more from Jonathan Kahn (Together London Events)

27. Separate data collection from analysis
27
Tip
“Always interpret with at least one other person.
They will see in your data what you can’t see; you
will see in their data what they miss”
Holtzblatt et al.
“Shadow puppetry” by Marina del Castell (CC BY 2.0)

28. Activity 2: Observation vs Evaluation
- Get into pairs
- Read the sentences on the handout and identify
whether they are observations or evaluations
- If they are evaluations try to change them to
observations
- Exercise is used with permission of Jonathan Kahn
(TogetherLondon).
28

29. Context and environment?
Navy doctors perform an open appendectomy aboard hospital ship
by Official U.S. Navy Page (CC BY 2.0)

30. Be aware of cultural sensitivities
30
Tip
“Fancy dog” by TheGiantVermin (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

31. Be aware of nonverbal behaviour
31
Tip
7
38
55
Nonverbal behaviour
Tone of voice
Verbal
Human Communication elements when communicating feelings/emotions
Albert Mehrabian et al.
%
%
%

32. Body language - Hands
32
“Fist” by Walt Stoneburner (CC BY 2.0) “Hands Open” by Amrit (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Aggressive
Defensive
Acceptance
Openness
Talk by Brad Nunnally at IA Summit 2014

33. Be professional when researching in multiple languages
33
Tip
“Flags” by Peter Miller (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

34. Train yourself to memorise observations
34
Tip
“Notes” by English106 (CC BY 2.0)

35. Use an appropriate language tone for the setting
Interpreters change their language depending on the
setting.
Similarly, in UX we must alter our language to ensure our
participants will be most comfortable.
35
Tip
“courtroom 600” by Davidlohr Bueso (CC BY 2.0)

36. Context will inform analysis
Interpreters may alter there interpretation to reflect the
situation
• In mental health, all grammatical errors are kept intact because
it might inform the clinician about the illness.
36www.pauladematos.co.uk
Tip
“Take the red pill” by Tason (CC BY-ND 2.0)

37. Activity 3: Design and analyse a research interview
Goal: Identify a persons perception of phone security?
Watch the video and answer the questions.
1. Identify all your observations.
2. Did you notice any significant body language in the participants
communication.
3. What assumptions can you make based on your observations.
Pay special attention to language use here.
4. Were there any leading questions? Could you have asked better
questions?
37www.pauladematos.co.uk

38. The interview
38http://tinyurl.com/pxatnl5
User Research Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRv6chJqUwc

39. 39
“thank you in every language” by woodleywonderworks with licence CC BY 2.0