# Discovery interview guide · [Topic] · [Date] **Hypothesis under test:** customer / problem (not solution) **Persona:** [persona] **Length:** 45 minutes ## Before the call - Learning goals (max three): 1. 2. 3. - What would change our mind: ## Opening (5 min) - Thank them, explain we're learning, not selling. Ask permission to record. - "Tell me about your role and what a typical week looks like." ## The story (25 min) - "Tell me about the last time [the situation] happened." - "What happened first? Then what?" - "Who else was involved?" - "What did you use to deal with it? Why that?" - "What did it cost you: time, money, stress, reputation?" - "What have you tried to fix it? What happened?" - "If it happened again tomorrow, what would you do?" ## Switching (if they recently changed tools) (10 min) - "When did you first think something had to change?" - "What made you start looking? What did you look at?" - "What almost stopped you?" - "What would make you switch away?" ## Close (5 min) - "Is there anything I should have asked?" - "Who else should I talk to?" - Ask for a commitment: a follow-up, an intro, a pilot. ## Rules Ask about past specifics, not future hypotheticals. Don't pitch. Dig behind feature requests to the problem. Silence is a tool.