The effect of communication method on user experience in a formal communication with a stranger

Sammanfattning: This thesis aims to find out how communication method a˙ects user experience in a formal communication with a stranger, such as a job application process. The communication methods investigated were instant messaging and email. To this end, two studies were performed. The first one based on a set of interviews with recruiters. The second one based on a questionnaire sent out to job candidates. Recruiters did not value communication method as important for the candidate to make a good first impression, but they were concerned with the need for rapid communication and needing to be constantly available when using informal communication methods. I found that candidates significantly preferred formal communication methods, results also showed that candidates felt less insecure when communicating using a formal method. Finally, we also found that younger users did not have a stronger preference for informal communication methods than older users, contrary to my expectations.