Customer Interview Script Template

Five to eight interviews per user segment is the practical range for most discovery work. Research by Nielsen Norman Group shows that five interviews typically surface around 80% of usability issues for a segment. If you are hearing the same themes by interview five, you likely have enough signal to move forward. If every interview surfaces new and contradictory information, you need more conversations or a tighter segment definition.

Redirect gently. "We are exploring a few directions and your input is shaping that thinking. For now, I would love to hear more about your experience." If they press, give a brief, honest answer and pivot back: "Yes, we are looking at that area. What would you expect from a tool that did [their described problem]?" The goal is to keep the conversation about their needs, not your solution.

Record if the participant consents. A recording lets the note-taker focus on observations (body language, hesitations, emphasis) rather than transcription. Use a transcription tool (Otter, Grain, or Dovetail) to create a searchable transcript afterward. That said, always complete the synthesis card from memory first. The transcript is a reference, not a replacement for your immediate impressions.

This usually means your questions are too broad or the user does not feel comfortable yet. Try these tactics: ask about a specific recent event ("Tell me about the last time you did X"), use silence (pause for 5 seconds after they finish and they will often elaborate), or switch to a concrete artifact ("Can you show me the tool or document you use for this?"). If the user is still disengaged after 10 minutes, the session may not yield useful data. Thank them, wrap up early, and recruit a more engaged participant.

This interview script covers one slice of discovery: qualitative user research. A full discovery process also includes quantitative data analysis, usability testing, prototype validation, and assumption mapping. The [Product Discovery Handbook](/discovery-guide) covers the complete workflow from initial research through solution validation. Customer interviews are typically the starting point because they define the problem space before you invest in building or testing solutions. ---