A user interview is a structured conversation to understand how people deal with a problem today, use a product or make a purchase decision. A good script asks about real past episodes with open questions and avoids hypothetical ("would you use it?") or yes/no questions, which produce polite and unreliable answers. The script organises the conversation into warm-up, context, deep dive and close.
How to use
- Choose the goal: discover the problem, validate a solution, understand current use or assess willingness to pay.
- Write the topic of the conversation and, if you like, the profile of the people you will interview.
- Choose the duration: 15, 30 or 45 minutes sets how many questions go in.
- Read the script with its follow-up questions, what to note and what to do afterwards.
- Export as PDF, DOCX or Markdown, or copy it into your note-taking tool.
What each field asks for
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Research goal | What you need to learn from the interviews. |
| Topic | The subject of the conversation. For current use, write the product or feature. |
| Interviewee profile (optional) | Who you are going to interview. |
| Duration | Sets how many questions go into the script. |
Example
A team wants to understand how store leads build the weekly team rota. With the goal "discover the problem", the topic "the weekly store rota" and 30 minutes, the script has 15 questions: 3 for the warm-up, 3 for context, 7 for the deep dive and 2 to close. The deep dive starts with "Tell me about the last time the weekly store rota caused you trouble. What happened?", followed by "And what happened right after that?". The close ends with "What did I not ask that you think I should have asked?".
When to use
- At the start of discovery, to understand a problem before thinking about solutions.
- Before building, to test a proposal or prototype with people who have the problem.
- To understand why people use, or stop using, a feature.
- Before setting a price, to understand how much and how customers already spend on the problem.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should I take to an interview?
For 30 minutes, around 15 questions are usually enough, because good answers prompt follow-up questions. The script is a guide: follow the conversation and come back to it when it drifts.
What are leading questions?
They are questions that suggest the expected answer, such as "wouldn’t it be great if...?" or "would you use...?". They produce polite agreement. Ask for real episodes instead: "tell me about the last time that happened".
How should I record an interview?
Ask for permission to record and, even so, note verbatim quotes and non-verbal signals. Straight afterwards, write a short summary that separates facts from interpretations.
How many interviews should I run?
Five to eight interviews per profile usually reveal the main patterns. When answers start repeating with nothing new, it is a sign you can stop and decide.
Remote or in person?
Both work. In person lets you observe the environment and the tools in use; remote makes recruiting and recording easier. Either way, ask the person to show the screen or material they use.
What do I do with the answers?
Group the patterns that repeat, turn the strongest into hypotheses and decide the next step: dig deeper, test a solution or drop the idea. A persona and an empathy map help organise what you heard.
Why not ask "would you pay for this?"
Because predicting our own behaviour is hard and people tend to please whoever is asking. What someone has already spent, bought or cancelled is much stronger evidence of willingness to pay.