Customer Interview Workshop

The Customer Interview Workshop teaches participants how to prepare and conduct user interviews in a structured manner. This game is crucial for validating hypotheses and uncovering the real needs of users before developing a new feature or product. Participants acquire skills in question formulation, active listening, and response analysis.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction and Objectives

   10 min

   The facilitator presents the workshop and its objectives: to understand the importance of user interviews and how they fit into the product development process. They explain that the goal is to validate product hypotheses and identify the real needs of users. Participants are invited to share their expectations for the workshop.

   Tip — Use concrete examples of products that have benefited from user interviews to illustrate the importance of this exercise.

2. 2

   Preparing the Interviews

   20 min

   Participants are divided into small groups and given a hypothetical product scenario. Each group must prepare a list of questions to ask during the user interview. The facilitator guides participants to ensure that the questions are open, unbiased, and relevant for validating the hypotheses.

   Tip — Encourage participants to use the '5 Whys' technique to deepen their questions.

3. 3

   Interview Simulation

   30 min

   Each group selects a member to play the role of the user, while the others conduct the interview. The interviews are timed to ensure they remain concise and focused. The facilitator observes and takes notes for feedback.

   Tip — Suggest that groups record their session for later self-evaluation.

4. 4

   Feedback and Adjustments

   20 min

   After the simulations, each group shares their observations and the challenges they encountered. The facilitator provides constructive feedback on question formulation and interview dynamics. Groups adjust their approach based on the feedback.

   Tip — Highlight the best practices observed and encourage participants to adopt them.

5. 5

   Results Analysis

   20 min

   Participants analyse the responses obtained during the interviews to identify trends and insights. Each group prepares a brief report of their conclusions and recommendations for the hypothetical product.

   Tip — Help participants distinguish facts from interpretations for a more objective analysis.

6. 6

   Conclusion and Learnings

   10 min

   The facilitator concludes the workshop by summarising the key learnings. Participants are invited to reflect on how they can apply these skills in their professional context. The facilitator encourages participants to plan real interviews for their ongoing projects.

   Tip — Provide a list of additional resources to deepen user interview skills.

Variants

• Organise interviews with real users for an ongoing project.
• Use detailed personas to guide participants in their simulations.
• Add a segment on managing cognitive biases during interviews.