How you take notes in SME interviews

[Barry Campbell]

On 9/4/06, Carrie Baker <carriebak at gmail.com> wrote:

> Maybe a silly question, but I was wondering
> When you interview programers (or any other SMEs) about features you
> have to document, do you make notes in a notebook and write them up,
> or do you write directly into your computer.

It's not a silly question at all.  I've used everything from
reporter's notebooks to tape recorders (and, later, digital recorders)
 to take notes, and tend to work directly on a laptop these days.

The laptop has the added advantage of being able to capture and record
screens, either as still shots or animations, and record sound
digitally if needed.  Some of the best SME "interviews" I ever
conducted were actually demos that the SME did that I captured,
because I then had the opportunity to ask a ton of follow-up questions
and nail down the particulars on the spot.

- bc

-- 
Barry Campbell <barry at campbell-online.com>
http://campbell-online.com