User Interview Guide
A complete guide for conducting user interviews that reveal genuine insights. Questions to ask, mistakes to avoid, and note-taking templates.
Interview Scripts
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today. I'm [Name], and I'm [role] at [Company]. Before we start, I want to explain what we're doing: We're talking to customers to understand how we can make [Product] better for people like you. There are no right or wrong answers -- I'm here to learn from your experience. [If recording] Would it be okay if I record this conversation? It just helps me focus on listening instead of taking notes. The recording stays internal and won't be shared publicly. Also, if any question doesn't make sense or you'd prefer not to answer, just let me know. We can skip anything. Do you have any questions before we start?
Questions to Ask
Questions to Avoid
Leading Question
x Don't ask
"Don't you think the new dashboard is easier to use?"
Ask instead
"How was your experience with the new dashboard?"
Hypothetical Question
x Don't ask
"Would you use a feature that did X?"
Ask instead
"Tell me about the last time you needed to do X."
Closed Question
x Don't ask
"Do you like the reporting feature?"
Ask instead
"Tell me about your experience with reporting."
Magic Phrases
Use these to dig deeper when someone gives a surface-level answer.
"Tell me more about that."
"Can you give me an example?"
"What do you mean by [word they used]?"
"What happened next?"
"How did that make you feel?"
"[Silence -- let them fill it]"
Note-Taking Template
Interview: [Name], [Role], [Date] BACKGROUND - Role: - Company size: - Time using product: - Previous solutions: KEY QUOTES - "[Exact quote]" -- about [topic] - "[Exact quote]" -- about [topic] PAIN POINTS - [Problem 1] -- Severity: [High/Med/Low] - [Problem 2] -- Severity: [High/Med/Low] NEEDS/GOALS - [What they're trying to accomplish] SURPRISES/INSIGHTS - [Unexpected findings] FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS - [Questions to explore in future interviews]
Interviews are snapshots. Continuous feedback fills the gaps.
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