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Stakeholder Interview Script

A guide to interviewing key stakeholders to understand business goals, constraints, and success metrics before starting design.

1. Introduction

Set the Stage

Goal: Build rapport and explain why you are speaking with them.

  • "Thanks for making time. The goal of this chat is to understand your vision for [Project Name] and how we can measure success."
  • "There are no right or wrong answers; I'm just looking to gather your perspective."

2. Vision & Goals

Defining Success

  • "What is the primary problem this project is trying to solve?" Look for the "why" behind the project.
  • "What does success look like for this project? How will we know we've succeeded?" Try to get specific metrics (KPIs) if possible.
  • "If we could only get one thing right, what would it be?" Helps prioritize features.

3. Users & Context

The Audience

  • "Who do you see as the primary user of this product?"
  • "What do you think is their biggest pain point right now?" Compare this with actual user research later.
  • "Are there any specific competitors we should be looking at?"

4. Risks & Constraints

Reality Check

  • "What worries you most about this project?" Identifies risks early (Pre-mortem).
  • "Are there any technical or timeline constraints we need to be aware of?"
  • "Who else should I be talking to?"