What are the best practices for preparing an interview guide?

2 Choose your interview format

Depending on your research objectives, you may choose different formats for your user interviews. For example, you may conduct exploratory interviews to discover user needs and motivations, evaluative interviews to test prototypes or concepts, or validation interviews to confirm assumptions or findings. You may also use different methods, such as open-ended questions, scenarios, tasks, or rating scales, to elicit user feedback. Your interview format should match your research objectives and the stage of your product development process.

3 Plan your interview structure

A typical user interview consists of three parts: introduction, main body, and closing. In the introduction, you should explain the purpose and scope of the interview, obtain consent and permission to record, and establish rapport with the user. In the main body, you should ask your core questions, probe for details, and observe the user's behavior and reactions. In the closing, you should summarize the main points, thank the user, and ask for any additional comments or questions. Your interview structure should be logical, coherent, and flexible.

4 Write your interview questions

The most important part of your interview guide is the questions that you will ask your users. Your questions should be relevant, clear, and unbiased. They should also be open-ended, meaning that they allow the user to express their opinions, feelings, and experiences, rather than yes or no answers. You should avoid leading, suggestive, or loaded questions, such as "Don't you think that our product is better than the competitors?" or "How much do you love our product?". Instead, you should use neutral, descriptive, or behavioral questions, such as "How do you usually use our product?" or "What are the main challenges that you face when using our product?".

5 Review and test your interview guide

Before you conduct your user interviews, you should review and test your interview guide to ensure that it is effective and reliable. You should check for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors, as well as clarity, consistency, and relevance of your questions. You should also test your interview guide with a colleague, a friend, or a potential user, and ask for feedback on the flow, length, and tone of the interview. You should revise your interview guide based on the feedback and the results of the test, and make sure that it meets your research objectives and expectations.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?