Joyce,
please feel free to post this reply to the list (I don't seem to be able to
send to the list - and that's OK, I'm an active lurker - sending directly to
those who I can help or want to follow up with).

Here at IBM research and the Lotus Product Design group we have conducted
several interviews via electronic means: phone with faxes or screenslides,
eMeetings (shared viewing online with phone conferencing for voice), and
I've interviewed an intern candidate via IM.  Below are our input into your
problem...

IM interview - it is difficult to tell how the person is feeling about the
things you are asking - and we often judge a response by the lag it takes
the person to produce it, typing speed may cause misinterpretation of their
'response quality'. Very hard to judge their ability to interact, take
initiative, etc.  Is possible to find out their ambitions, goals, background
without too much trouble.  After hiring the person I interviewed, I believe
my judge of them was fairly accurate. But like others, this is only
anecdotal.

Paul Moody, Design Researcher, STSM
Collaborative User Experience Group
IBM Research, Cambridge, MA (and Vermont)
DIS2004 General Co-chair, Aug1-4, 2004, Cambridge, MA

---------------------------------(forwarded from a another IBM
Researcher)---------------------------------------
Hi Paul,

I have some limited experience (along with Cynthia) conducting (technology
supported) interviews over distances. We were trying to get feedback from
potential end-users of an online meeting tool (eMEET- Michael and Sara ). We
used SameTime  Emeetings to share screen mock-ups and a phone conversation
to discuss them and probe the participants for feedback. Of course, it
wasn't quite the same as being face-to-face but it seemed to have worked out
quite well. The primary drawbacks, as you would expect, included: slightly
less engagement than if it were f-2-f, inability to observe gesturing and
facial expressions, lost opportunities to dabble in sketching/doodling as a
means of communicating ideas.

Now, conducting interviews using IM would seem to be quite a different
story. Without knowing the type and goals of the testing/interviewing it's
difficult to say but I would have to agree with Michael's concerns below. I
would also be concerned about the effects on the data associated with
participants' skills and comfort level around communicating efficiently in
real-time through the keyboard. Michael's suggestions also make sense,
especially the use of screen sharing (whether via an online meeting or a
website). Also, if IM will be the primary "verbal" channel as opposed to the
phone, a more structured interview would probably make things a bit easier
for both parties.

I guess that's all I can add for now,

-ed

---------------------------------(forwarded from a another IBM
Researcher)---------------------------------------

Hi Paul,

My quick answer is that I've never heard of research being done in this way.
It sounds plausible, but...

I'd be worried that there might not be sufficient engagement between the two
parties, if they have no shared meeting context and no shared history.  So
-- although I have no strong knowledge here, none at all -- I'd suggest an
emeeting so that people can show each other the screen-based typography.  Or
else a questionnaire (more traditional data-collection instrument) perhaps
supplemented by requests for examples of screen-based typography (PDFs, I
would guess, to avoid font issues)?

Please stress my lack of confidence in these answers!

--michael