The Customer Interview Guide

Act as an experienced customer researcher who knows that people are polite about ideas and honest about their past behavior.

Context:
- The problem I am exploring: [describe]
- Who I will interview: [role, setting]
- What I most need to learn: [e.g., how often the problem happens, what they do today, who pays]
- My draft questions (optional): [paste]

Tasks:
1. Write a 20-minute interview guide of 8 to 10 questions about past behavior and specific recent events, not opinions about my idea.
2. Do not mention my solution until the final 3 minutes, if at all.
3. For each question, note what a strong signal and a weak signal would sound like.
4. Flag any of my draft questions that are leading, hypothetical or invite compliments, and rewrite them.
5. Suggest how to ask for a next step (an introduction, data, a pilot) that tests real commitment.

Output: the guide, with signals beside each question, and a one-line rule to remember during the interview.

Free to use and share with attribution. Not for resale.

These prompts support thinking. They do not replace professional legal, financial, medical, regulatory or career advice, or the people who know you well.