Write a research goal and discussion guide, recruit five people and run interviews that reveal real behaviour.
Why it matters
User interviews are the fastest way to learn how people really think about a problem: what they do today, what frustrates them, and what words they use. Five good conversations will usually teach you more than a week of guessing in a meeting room. They are also cheap. You need a goal, a list of questions, a few willing people and a way to take notes.
The core idea: ask about the past, not the future
People are good at describing what they did and bad at predicting what they will do. "Would you use an app that reminds you about due dates?" almost always gets a polite yes. "Tell me about the last time you returned a library book late" gets a real story with real details: where they were, what they forgot, what it cost and how they felt.
So a good interview is mostly open questions about specific past events, followed by probes that dig deeper:
- "Tell me about the last time you..."
- "Walk me through how you did that."
- "What happened next?"
- "Why was that important?" or "How did that feel?"
- "You mentioned X. Can you say more about that?"
Then you stay quiet. Silence feels awkward, but people fill it with the most useful detail.
Planning a five-person round
1. Write a research goal. One or two sentences about what you need to learn, for example: "Understand how parents keep track of library books and due dates, and what goes wrong."
2. Choose who to talk to. Write two or three criteria, such as "borrowed at least three books in the last two months" and "has children under 12". Five participants who match is a sensible first round. Patterns usually appear by the fourth or fifth conversation, and more people per round give diminishing returns.
3. Write a discussion guide. This is a loose script, not a questionnaire:
Intro (2 min)
Thanks, purpose, no right answers, ask permission to take notes or record.
Warm-up (3 min)
Tell me a little about how often you use the library.
Main topic (20 min)
Tell me about the last time you borrowed books for your kids.
How did you know when they were due?
Tell me about a time a book came back late. What happened?
What do you do today to keep track? Show me if you can.
Wrap-up (5 min)
Is there anything I should have asked but didn't?
Thanks; explain what happens next.
Use the funnel technique: start broad, then narrow to specific topics. Leave room to follow interesting tangents.
4. Recruit. For practice, friends of friends, classmates or online community members who match your criteria are fine. Avoid people who already know your idea. Tell them how long it takes (30 minutes) and what you will do with their answers.
5. Get consent. Ask before recording or taking photos, explain how notes will be stored, and do not collect more personal information than you need. In a real job your company will have consent forms and data rules; follow them.
Running the session
- One person asks questions; if possible, a second person takes notes.
- Write down what people say and do, using their words, not your interpretation. "I put the receipt on the fridge" is data. "User is disorganised" is a judgement.
- Note emotions and workarounds: sticky notes, spreadsheets, reminders to self. Workarounds point straight at unmet needs.
- If a person asks "What do you think I should do?", turn it back: "What would you expect?"
Worked example: a weak question rewritten
| Weak question | Problem | Better |
|---|---|---|
| Do you like the library app? | Yes/no, invites politeness | Tell me about the last time you opened the library app. |
| Wouldn't reminders be helpful? | Leading | How do you remember due dates today? |
| How often do you return books late? | Asks for an estimate | Tell me about the most recent late return. |
| Would you pay for this? | Prediction | What have you done or spent to avoid late fees? |
Common mistakes
- Pitching your idea. As soon as you describe your solution, people start giving feedback on it instead of describing their lives.
- Leading questions. "Isn't it annoying when...?" tells the person the answer you want.
- Asking two things at once. "How do you track due dates and do you use the app for it?" Ask one question at a time.
- Interrupting silence. Count to five before you speak again.
- Only interviewing people like you. Recruit against your criteria, not from your own team.
- No notes until later. Memory fades within hours. Write up each session the same day.
Quick recap
- Set a research goal, criteria and a discussion guide before you recruit.
- Ask open questions about specific past events, then probe.
- Five participants is a sound first round.
- Record what people say and do, not your judgement, and get consent first.
Try it
On the Do tab you will choose a project for this course, write a research goal and guide, and run a five-person interview round.