Graphic elicitation: using research diagrams as interview stimuli

Abstract

Diagrams are effective instruments of thought and a valuable tool in conveying those thoughts to others. As such, they can be usefully employed as representations of a research domain and act as stimulus materials in interviews. This process of graphic elicitation may encourage contributions from interviewees that are difficult to obtain by other means. By representing concepts and relationships that other visual artefacts cannot depict, diagrams provide a complementary addition to conventional interview stimuli. This article discusses the application of graphic elicitation within the broader context of the diagramming process. Consideration is given to the unique characteristics of diagrams and the ways in which they are interpreted. Thus, the specific benefits that diagrams offer as interview stimuli may be understood. Following this, an example study is described in which the graphic elicitation process was employed in interviews with industrial designers. Reporting on a study in which the interviewees possessed a well-developed graphic sensibility allows a broad range of graphic elicitation’s potential benefits to be illustrated. In closing the article, a discussion is held on the range of methodological issues that must be addressed when employing diagrams in a research study.