Generative Interview Guide for a New Product Area
Explore how people currently handle a task.
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[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it.
Write a generative research interview guide. Topic and area of life or work: [TOPIC]. Participants: [PARTICIPANTS]. What the team wants to learn: [LEARNING_GOALS]. Session length: [LENGTH].
Structure the guide as: (1) a 5-minute opening script covering purpose, recording consent, confidentiality, and the fact that there are no wrong answers; (2) warm-up questions about the person's role or routine; (3) a 25-minute core built around "the last time" stories: when did you last [TASK]? what led up to it? what did you do first? what tools or people did you use? what was frustrating? what did you do about it? what happened next?; (4) probes for each section ("Can you walk me through that?", "What did you expect to happen?", "How did that make things easier or harder?"); (5) a short wrap-up asking what they would change if they could and who else we should talk to; (6) thanks and incentive details.
Add a list of leading questions to avoid, with rewrites. Bad: "Don't you find the current process slow?" Good: "How would you describe the current process?" Include a note-taking template (observation, quote, interpretation kept separate) and a consent checklist that flags local rules for recordings and children's data [VERIFY] in [JURISDICTION]. Do not invent participant answers.
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Opening (60 words): "Thank you for your time. We are learning how people manage household paperwork. There are no right answers. With your permission I will record so I can listen instead of typing; the recording stays with our small team and is deleted after analysis. You can stop or skip any question." Core: "Tell me about the last time you had to find an important document. What were you looking for? Where did you start? What happened next? What was frustrating?" Probe: "What did you expect to find there?" Avoid: "Don't you think a mobile app would help?" Use: "How do you handle this today?" Note-taking: quote, behavior, interpretation in separate columns.
Illustrative only, made-up data. Your results will differ and must be reviewed.