Leave with an interview guide and a structured evidence record.
Start with a real buying situation
For the worked example, the audience is a business owner planning a workplace fit-out. Their problem is that stakeholders disagree on space use before the project brief is settled. The desired practical outcome is a documented requirements brief and comparable layout options.
The example is deliberately bounded: survey information, budget and specialist approvals need confirmation. That condition should influence the promise, scope and next step rather than disappear from the marketing copy.
| Illustrative offer | an early design and requirements study |
|---|---|
| Buyer question | Which activity must the new space support better than the current one? |
| Possible evidence | a concept layout annotated with the assumptions it depends on |
| Useful asset | a workplace design brief and option comparison |
How to complete your customer interview guide
- Choose a learning question and recruit people who have relevant experience.
- Ask about a recent event rather than a hypothetical preference.
- Follow the sequence: trigger, attempted solution, decision and result.
- Record direct quotations with permission and keep interpretation separate.
- Look for repeated evidence while retaining contradictions and exceptions.
Worked example
These entries are illustrative planning material, not research findings or customer results. Keep the structure and replace the content with verified details.
| What we need to learn | Understand how a business owner planning a workplace fit-out deals with this problem: stakeholders disagree on space use before the project brief is settled. |
|---|---|
| A recent incident to explore | Which activity must the new space support better than the current one? |
| Follow-up questions | What happened next? Who was affected? What did you try? What did you compare before deciding? |
| Evidence and exact language | Record the participant’s exact account with permission. Example to investigate, not a finding: “Can you give us a final construction price now?” |
| What remains uncertain | We have not yet established the frequency, cost or prevalence of the problem. Test those assumptions in further conversations. |
Review before using it
A useful operational measure in this example is resolution of the requirements that affect layout and scope. That does not automatically make it a marketing attribution metric. Define the source, period and owner before drawing conclusions.
- Would the questions still make sense if the interviewee never bought from us?
- Check the delivery assumptions: Clarify design stages, surveys, consultants, approvals and deliverables.
- Use evidence rather than promises. Concept designs do not establish regulatory approval or construction cost.
- Discuss the draft with someone who understands the buying situation. Start with: “Which activity must the new space support better than the current one?”
- If the next step is a trial, define its purpose. One possible starting point is to agree a requirements workshop and an initial layout review.
Common mistakes and a better review
Do not fill a missing fact with an impressive-sounding number. Mark it as an assumption, explain how you will check it and give that check an owner. A short, honest document is easier to use than an elaborate plan built on unknowns.
| Watch for | Asking whether someone likes your solution encourages polite approval. |
|---|---|
| A real buyer concern | Can you give us a final construction price now? |
| Useful response direction | At this stage we can document assumptions and coordinate an estimate; a final price needs a developed scope and suitable contractor input. |
| Evidence to collect | The buyer’s own account, a concept layout annotated with the assumptions it depends on, and records relevant to resolution of the requirements that affect layout and scope. |
Your working sheet
Write your own version below. Notes are saved on this browser when local storage is available. Use Download to keep a separate copy; avoid adding confidential information on a shared device.
Example: Understand how a business owner planning a workplace fit-out deals with this problem: stakeholders disagree on space use before the project brief is settled.
Example: Which activity must the new space support better than the current one?
Example: What happened next? Who was affected? What did you try? What did you compare before deciding?
Example: Record the participant’s exact account with permission. Example to investigate, not a finding: “Can you give us a final construction price now?”
Example: We have not yet established the frequency, cost or prevalence of the problem. Test those assumptions in further conversations.
Review your work
Tick only what you can support with your answer or practice. This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions about this resource
How do I adapt this for my architecture studios business?
Replace the audience, offer and evidence with your actual information. Begin with a recent buyer conversation about why stakeholders disagree on space use before the project brief is settled, then check which assumptions match your business.
Is the filled example ready to publish?
No. It is a working example. Verify claims, permissions, prices, current capabilities and any customer information before using it externally. Concept designs do not establish regulatory approval or construction cost.
What should I do after completing the worksheet?
Use it to make one decision or have one focused conversation. The intended output is an interview guide and a structured evidence record. Set a review date and update it when the evidence changes.
Illustrative business worksheet. No customer results, market rates, traffic volumes or performance benchmarks are implied. About these resources.