When you want to understand how someone works, invite them to describe a recent example. Ask what triggered it, what they did next, and where the process became difficult. Follow their sequence before proposing a solution. Specific stories make it easier to separate a real obstacle from a plausible answer invented on the spot.
Ask about the last time it happened
A concrete episode often tells you more than an opinion about a general habit.
A small example
Instead of “Would a reminder app help?”, a researcher asks a salon owner to describe the last missed appointment. The problem turns out to be a changed phone number, not a forgotten reminder.
Keep in mind
One story is a starting point. Check whether the same pattern appears elsewhere before designing around it.
A note to yourself
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