How to conduct a discovery interview
I am writing this blog post is to try define a framework to conduct a discovery / product requirements interview.
Objective
The goal of the interview is to obtain information about how the product is used, with specific reference to the pain points and the needs.
Any software you will ever build will be used by people. For this reason, you need to understand your user persona first.
It is very important to understand who is the user you have in front of you, and what are his needs and pain points. Speaking with an aerospatial engineer with 15 years of tenure in SpaceX with respect to a junior accountant in an SMB in, say, Greece is completely different. They will have way different needs as well as ways to approach a solution.
Take into account the element of the country’s culture as well.
Best Practices
Recording: if possible, record the meeting to being able to rewatch it after and being sure not to lose anything. Also, save this recording in a place where it won’t get lost.
Active Listening: Pay close attention to the user's responses and ask follow-up questions for clarification.
Note-taking: Document key points and insights from the conversation.
Empathy: Show understanding and appreciation for the user's perspective. Make them feel important, because they are: without proper information in this phase all the rest will fail (concept of shit in shit out).
Summarization: At the end of the call, summarize the main points to ensure mutual understanding. Here, AI could help.
Call-to-action: End the meeting with a clear next step and call to action, the goal should always be directed to understanding how to best help (and simplify the life) of the user you interviewed
Perform User Stories: Add user stories to allow the “client” to impersonate in the daily work
Prioritization: Classify the requirements into categories such as 'Must Have', 'Should Have', 'Could Have', and 'Won't Have'. This helps in managing expectations and focusing on the most critical aspects first.
Key Questions
Understanding the User
Who is using or who will be using the feature?
Can you tell me more about your (or their) background?
Understanding Current Workflow
Can you describe your current workflow or process related to this feature?
What specific tools or methods are you currently using in relation to this task or process?
How does this process fit into your broader work responsibilities or objectives?
What is working best?
IMPORTANT What keeps you awake at night instead?
Identifying Challenges and Pain Points
What are the main challenges or pain points you face in this process?
How do you currently address these challenges, if at all?
Have there been any recent instances where the current system has hindered your productivity or efficiency?
Are there any repetitive or redundant tasks in your current workflow that you believe could be automated or streamlined?
IMPORTANT Can you walk me through some of the use cases you mentioned?
Can you describe a situation where the absence of this feature significantly impacted your work?
What workarounds or alternative methods have you employed to cope with the limitations of the current system?
Feature Expectations and Priorities
What are the most important features or functionalities you would like to see in this new feature?
Can you provide specific examples or scenarios where this feature would be particularly useful?
Are there any industry-specific requirements or standards that the new feature should adhere to?
IMPORTANT What level of technical expertise do you and your team possess regarding similar features or tools?
Integration with Existing Systems
How do you envision this feature integrating with your current tools or systems?
Defining Success
What would success look like for you with this new feature?
How would you measure the effectiveness or impact of this new feature in your workflow?
Additional Thoughts and Needs
Is there anything else you would like to add or any other needs that we should consider?
IMPORTANT If you had a magic wand, what are the three things you would like to see in the solution to simplify your life?
The Interview
Before the interview
Research the User → Understand the user's background and their interaction with similar products.
Prepare Questions → Prepare open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses.
Agenda → Send an agenda before-hand together with any material (i.e. a presentation)
At the beginning of the interview
Introduction → Start with a warm welcome and a brief personal introduction.
Purpose Explanation → Clearly state the goal of the interview. Be clear and avoid any misunderstanding. Ideally this step should have been clarified in the agenda already
During the interview
Qualification questions → Ask questions to understand the background of the person
Guided questions → Ask questions related to the problems of the person and to how do they currently use the solution
User stories → Ask, also via screen sharing, to be walked through some of the typical cases both where they struggle and where they do not
Conclusion of the interview
Recap the Discussion → Summarize key takeaways to ensure mutual understanding
Next Steps → Explain how their input will contribute to the project and what to expect next.
