As a product manager, one of the most important aspects of your job is to understand your users and their needs. One of the best ways to do this is by conducting interviews. Here are some tips on how to conduct effective interviews as a PM:
Before conducting an interview, it's important to prepare. First, define the goal of the interview. What do you want to learn? What questions do you need to ask? Second, identify your target audience. Who are your users? What are their pain points and needs? Finally, create a plan for conducting the interview. Will it be in person or virtual? How will you record the conversation?
During the interview, it's important to ask the right questions.
Here are some powerful questions that can help you gather valuable insights:
Capture eye witness account:
Describe the last time you <had X problem>. What happened? What did you do? Why did you do that?
Can you tell me the last time you encountered [PROBLEM], and what you did to resolve it?
Check table stakes:
What works for you about <existing solution Y>?
Probe for pain:
What’s the worst part about trying to <solve problem X?>? How much does this suck?
What was the worst part of having to deal with [PROBLEM]? How acute was the pain?
Evaluate current solution