From Raw Notes to Atomic Evidence

After conducting 5 to 10 user interviews, you are left with hours of audio and pages of handwritten notes. The fatal mistake is immediately writing an executive summary based on what you remember.

The Atomic Evidence Process:

1. Extract Single Observations: Transcribe distinct user quotes, observed struggles, or emotional reactions onto individual sticky notes.
2. Preserve the User's Voice: Write verbatims ('I couldn't tell if my file was encrypted') rather than team interpretations ('User wants an encryption badge').
3. Tag Metadata: Attribute each note to the participant ID (P1, P2) so you can verify breadth across participants.