customer-interview

Customer Interview Skill

A comprehensive guide for planning, conducting, and analyzing customer research interviews. Based on proven frameworks from experienced UX research leaders working with early-stage startups.

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to prepare for customer/user interviews
• User needs an interview guide or discussion guide
• User wants to validate a startup idea with potential customers
• User is planning customer discovery research
• User wants to improve how they talk to customers
• User needs help analyzing interview findings
• User asks about avoiding bias in customer conversations

Core Philosophy

Five to eight focused interviews with a narrowed target customer, about one to two learning goals, yields more actionable insight than 50 unfocused conversations with mixed audiences. Rigor beats volume.

Three-Phase Framework

The skill follows three phases. Read the relevant reference file for detailed guidance on each:

Phase 1: Plan — Focus Your Research

Reference: references/phase1-planning.md

Before any interviews, build a mini research plan with three components:

1. Decision to make — What specific next decision will this research inform?
2. Learning goals — What 1-2 things do you know least about that inform that decision?
3. Target customer — Who specifically will you talk to? (psychographics first, then demographics)

Key principle: Chunk research into sprints of 5-8 focused conversations rather than dozens of scattered ones.

Phase 2: Conduct — Ask Better Questions

Reference: references/phase2-conducting.md

Two objectives during interviews:

1. Get better data — Combat three bias types (confirmation, acquiescence, future-prediction)
2. Uncover unexpected insights — Use the Zoom Out → In → Out framework

The Zoom Out-In-Out structure:

• Zoom Out: Understand their world, context, and priorities broadly
• Zoom In: Dig into your specific topic area and test your concept
• Zoom Out: Final big-picture questions to calibrate importance

Key tactics:

• Ask one short question at a time
• Avoid leading questions (no yes/no, no adjectives implying answers)
• Always ask the counter ("What doesn't work?" after "What works?")
• Ask about specific recent behaviors, not hypothetical futures
• When sharing a concept: strip adjectives, pause after each chunk, ask "What comes to mind?"

Phase 3: Analyze — Data → Insights → Action

Reference: references/phase3-analysis.md

Three levels of analysis:

• Small (essential): 15-min debrief after every interview
• Medium (recommended): 1-hour weekly synthesis session
• Large (bonus): Affinity diagramming across all interviews

DIA framework for each debrief:

• Data: What did they say or show? (quotes, strong emotions, workarounds, behaviors)
• Insights: Your interpretation — why does this matter? What patterns emerge?
• Action: What follow-ups, question changes, or next steps?

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How to Use This Skill as Claude

When a user triggers this skill, determine where they are in the process and help accordingly:

If they need a research plan:

1. Ask about their product/idea
2. Help them define their decision, learning goals, and target customer
3. Read references/phase1-planning.md for detailed guidance

If they need an interview guide:

1. Understand their learning goals and target customer
2. Build a Zoom Out-In-Out structured guide
3. Read references/phase2-conducting.md for question frameworks and bias prevention
4. Produce a document (markdown or docx) with the interview guide

If they need help with analysis:

1. Help them set up a debrief template (DIA framework)
2. Guide them through synthesis
3. Read references/phase3-analysis.md for detailed methods

If they want the full workflow:

Walk them through all three phases sequentially, producing deliverables at each stage.

Output Formats

Depending on the request, produce:

• Research plan — A concise document with decision, learning goals, target customer definition, and cohort plan
• Interview guide — A structured discussion guide with Zoom Out/In/Out sections, specific questions, and bias-prevention reminders
• Debrief template — A note-taking and analysis template with DIA fields
• Analysis framework — Guidance on synthesis methods appropriate to their stage

Always include practical reminders about bias prevention and the "ask the counter" principle throughout any deliverable.