Stakeholder Interviews In 5 Easy Steps with Sample Questions
How to conduct a stakeholder interview — a step-by-step guide
What is a stakeholder interview?
The stakeholder interview is a one-on-one conversation with a person or group who signs off on a project so it can launch. It should be the first thing you do before starting on a project this is an important part of the discovery phase of your project and should be done as soon as you’ve been tasked with a project or assignment.
Step 1 — Preliminary Research
I like to schedule interviews after I’ve done some background research on the company, the product and the services offered. I look for direct competitors to compare services and product at a glance nothing too technical just enough information to understand what everyone will be talking about. I take notes on questions or doubts that come up during my research.
Pro tip: Search for news articles on the company and its founders. Look into social media profiles find out what their clients are saying.
Step 2 — Interview Setting
The interview can be done in person, online or answered as a questionnaire. I highly recommend the interview is recorded so you can play it back later. Make sure everyone is aware and agrees to be recorded. Pay attention to what they say and practice active listening to make sense of what they are saying.
Recommended for online interviews Hangouts Zoom
Recommended for in-person interviews Office setting or cafes make sure its quite enough and there are little to no distractions.
Step 3 — Schedule the interview
Write a brief email explaining why you will be conducting the interview and offer up to three possible times and dates to the schedule include the length of the session and the setting.
Hi [name],
Thanks for your interest in [company or service]. Before we get started I would like to conduct a [length of session] interview [at our office / via hangouts / via phone] to find out a little more about [ client company or product] and understand your specific needs better. [Details about the interview, including anything specific you would like candidates to know about.]
Please let me know which of the following times work for you, and I can send over a confirmation and details:
-[Day, Time 1] -[Day, Time 2] -[Day, Time 3]
Looking forward to meeting you,
[Your name]
Send the email to all parties, at times, all parties won’t be able to assist on the same day or at the same time, try to find a date when everyone is available if this is not possible interview them separately.
Step 4 — Send Calendar Invitations
Once confirmed create an event in Google Calendars and send a calendar invitation to all parties who will be present. Indicate where the meeting will be held including a link if online or an address if in person. You can use https://sidekickai.com/ or https://calendly.com/
Step 5 — Conduct the Interview
This is when to ask all the questions you need to know to design and develop your project. After many hit-and-miss situations, I have curated a foolproof questionnaire with everything I need to know before starting on a project or assignment. The best part is this questionnaire works whether you are working freelance or as part of a team! I’ve broken it down into different categories with questions for different departments such as executives, marketing, and engineering.
Interview Questions Examples
Introduction
Describe in a sentence the main objective of the project. (Our Goal)
Individual Perspective
What is your role in this project?
When will the version we are designing be launched?
How would you like to participate in the rest of the project and what is the best way to contact you?
Brand
Using some keywords/adjectives, how do you want people to see your brand? (brand of the company as the product)?
What is the current state of the brand identity and can we see a style guide?
Is there a brand structure? Brand guidelines?
Audience
What are the different audiences your product is designed for and what do you know about them?
that is sex, age, location, languages, disabilities, educational level, hobbies, tech-savvy, etc.
Who is the primary?
Who is the secondary?
How does the audience interact with the product?
Competition
What do we already know about our competitors?
Has there been any market research?
What is the competitive landscape?
What are the recent trends in this space?
Which similar, related, or relevant products should we look at?
What other industries, verticals, or products could we learn from?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of our competitors?
Why do customers buy a product like this, and why is this better than the competition?
What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?
Value Proposition
Target market? Value proposition?
What are your relative strengths/weaknesses?
How is this offer different?
What value/features is delivered in a free version? (if applied)
What value / additional features are delivered in the paid version? (if applied)
Business Process
What is the business process?
What is the business opportunity:
Increased revenue?
Increased user engagement time or depth?
Improved loyalty and return use?
Differentiation from competitors?
Improved product or service quality?
Users
What are the user’s behaviors when using the product?
What are their needs? Why?
What are their goals? Why?
Usability
Main pain points of your audience: What are the persistent obstacles/challenges they face in their business/jobs that the product intends to solve?
Is there any data research that you can use?
Is there any documentation (people, user flows, etc.)?
What are the KPIs? (Key performance indicator) by which it is measured
(or will it measure) the performance of the product?
Conclusion
In conclusion, conducting stakeholder interviews is a crucial step in any project. By following the five easy steps outlined in this guide and using the sample questions provided, you can gain valuable insights from stakeholders and ensure that your project is a success. Remember to do your preliminary research, choose the right interview setting, schedule the interview, send calendar invitations, and conduct the interview. Active listening and note-taking are also important skills to practice during the interview process. By incorporating stakeholder interviews into your project planning process, you can gain a better understanding of your clients’ needs, and your users and create a product that exceeds their expectations and meets your end-user needs!
