Customer Discovery Interview Template

Aim for 15-20 interviews within your target segment. Patterns start appearing around interview 5-7, but false patterns also appear at that point. By interview 15, you will see which themes are consistent and which were noise. If your interviews are converging on the same 2-3 pain points by interview 10, you can start acting on those insights while continuing interviews. See the [Product Discovery Handbook](/discovery-guide) for the full methodology.

Deflect until the end. Say: "I am still in the research phase and want to understand your experience before I share any ideas. I would love to tell you more after we finish talking about your workflow." If they insist, give a one-sentence description and immediately redirect: "But right now I am more interested in your experience. Tell me about the last time you..."

Start with your network. Ask for introductions on LinkedIn. Post in relevant Slack communities, Reddit subreddits, or industry forums. Offer something in return: a $25 Amazon gift card, a free consultation, or early access to your product. Cold outreach works if your message is specific: "I am researching how engineering managers at 50-person SaaS companies handle sprint scheduling. Would you have 20 minutes this week?"

Three techniques. First, never describe your solution before asking questions. Second, ask about past behavior ("Tell me about the last time...") instead of future intent ("Would you use...?"). Third, actively look for disconfirming evidence. After each interview, ask yourself: "What did I hear that challenges my assumptions?" If every interview perfectly confirms your beliefs, you are probably asking leading questions.

When you can answer three questions with evidence, not opinions. (1) What is the specific problem? (2) Who has this problem most acutely? (3) What are they currently doing about it and why is that insufficient? If you can answer all three with direct quotes from 10+ interviews, you have enough signal to define your [MVP](/glossary/minimum-viable-product-mvp) and start building. ---