Surveys are pretty much useless. How to talk so users will listen, and how to listen so users will talk.
I spend at least 20% of my time talking to end users. “Listen first” is the first step in the Clarity brand design process. But getting people to talk openly and candidly is tough. I’ve learned a lot from Steve Portugal. This might be “the book” on how to talk so users will listen, and how to listen so users will talk.
“Interviewing is a foundational user research tool that people assume they already possess. Everyone can ask questions, right? Unfortunately, that's not the case. Interviewing users provides invaluable interviewing techniques and tools that enable you to conduct informative interviews with anyone. You'll move from simply gathering data to uncovering powerful insights about people.”
Book review Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights