How to Run MVP Customer Interviews

Customer interviews are the highest signal feedback you can get. Here is how to run them without leading the witness.

When to Interview

• •Before building: Validate the problem exists
• •During beta: Understand friction points
• •After launch: Learn why people do or do not convert
• •Before major features: Validate demand first

Questions That Work

• •Tell me about the last time you dealt with [problem]
• •What solutions have you tried before?
• •What was frustrating about those solutions?
• •Walk me through how you would use this
• •What would make you stop using this?

Questions to Avoid

• •Would you use this? (people lie to be polite)
• •Do you like this feature? (leading question)
• •How much would you pay? (hypothetical, unreliable)
• •Is this better than X? (comparison bias)

Interview Structure

• •5 min: Warm up, explain the purpose
• •10 min: Understand their current situation
• •10 min: Show product, observe their use
• •5 min: Specific questions, wrap up
• •Keep it under 30 minutes total

How Many Interviews

5-10 interviews usually reveal the main patterns. After that, you hear the same things repeatedly.

Using Interview Data

• •Look for patterns, not one-off requests
• •Pay attention to emotional language
• •Note what they do, not just what they say
• •Prioritize pain points that appear in 3+ interviews