User Research Interview Guide — Customer Discovery

# User Research Interview Guide

Generate a comprehensive interview guide for researching **[Topic/Product/Feature]**.

- **Research Goal**: [What decision will this research inform?]
- **Product/Feature**: [What you're researching]
- **Target Participants**: [Who you need to talk to — 2-3 segments]
- **Interview Format**: [1-on-1, 30/45/60 min, remote/in-person]
- **Number of Interviews**: [Recommended: 8-12 per segment]
- **Research Stage**: [Discovery / Validation / Usability / Satisfaction]

### 1. Research Plan
- Research questions (what you're trying to learn — 3-5 big questions)
- Methodology justification
- Sample size and segmentation
- Timeline and logistics
- Expected deliverables

### 2. Screening Criteria
- Must-have criteria (4-6 screening questions)
- Nice-to-have criteria
- Disqualifiers
- Screening survey (ready to send)
- Incentive recommendation

### 3. Discussion Guide (60-minute interview)

**Opening (5 min)**
- Informed consent and recording permission script
- Rapport-building questions (2-3 warm-up questions)
- Context setting: "We're trying to understand..."

**Background & Context (10 min)**
- 4-5 questions about their current situation
- How they currently solve the problem
- Tools and workflows they use today

**Core Exploration (25 min)**
- 8-10 questions exploring the main research topics
- For each question: primary question + 2-3 follow-up probes
- "Tell me about a time when..." stories
- "Walk me through how you..." process questions
- "What happens when..." scenario questions

**Concept/Product Reaction (15 min)** (if testing a concept)
- Show and tell framework
- First reaction capture
- Comprehension check
- Value assessment
- Concern surfacing

**Wrap-Up (5 min)**
- "What haven't I asked about that I should have?"
- Priority ranking exercise
- Referral request

### 4. Probing Techniques Reference
- Silence (wait 5 seconds before moving on)
- Echo (repeat their last phrase as a question)
- "Tell me more about that"
- "Why is that important to you?"
- "What would happen if you couldn't do that?"
- "Can you show me / walk me through that?"

### 5. Analysis Framework
- Coding scheme for key themes
- Affinity mapping process
- Pattern identification template
- Quote capture format

### 6. Synthesis Template
- Research summary format (one-pager)
- Key findings (3-5, with supporting evidence)
- Recommendations tied to findings
- Participant profiles summary
- Raw data organization

---

Generate the COMPLETE guide. Questions should be open-ended, non-leading, and designed to uncover genuine insights — not confirm what you already believe.