# Customer Interview

> Guides founders and product teams through rigorous customer/user research interviews. Use this skill whenever the user mentions customer interviews, user research, customer discovery, talking to users, validating a startup idea, interview guides, customer development, user interviews, discovery interviews, or wants help preparing questions for potential customers. Also trigger when users mention wanting to understand customer needs, test a value proposition, get feedback on an early product concept, or combat bias in customer conversations. This skill is especially relevant for early-stage founders but applies at any stage of product development.

- Skill: `jordangaston/customer-interview` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jordangaston/customer-interview`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jordangaston/customer-interview/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: jordangaston (https://skillmd.com/u/jordangaston)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jordangaston/customer-interview

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# Customer Interview Skill

A comprehensive guide for planning, conducting, and analyzing customer research interviews. Based on proven frameworks from experienced UX research leaders working with early-stage startups.

## When to Use This Skill

- User wants to prepare for customer/user interviews
- User needs an interview guide or discussion guide
- User wants to validate a startup idea with potential customers
- User is planning customer discovery research
- User wants to improve how they talk to customers
- User needs help analyzing interview findings
- User asks about avoiding bias in customer conversations

## Core Philosophy

Five to eight focused interviews with a narrowed target customer, about one to two learning goals, yields more actionable insight than 50 unfocused conversations with mixed audiences. Rigor beats volume.

## Three-Phase Framework

The skill follows three phases. Read the relevant reference file for detailed guidance on each:

### Phase 1: Plan — Focus Your Research
**Reference:** `references/phase1-planning.md`

Before any interviews, build a mini research plan with three components:
1. **Decision to make** — What specific next decision will this research inform?
2. **Learning goals** — What 1-2 things do you know least about that inform that decision?
3. **Target customer** — Who specifically will you talk to? (psychographics first, then demographics)

Key principle: Chunk research into sprints of 5-8 focused conversations rather than dozens of scattered ones.

### Phase 2: Conduct — Ask Better Questions
**Reference:** `references/phase2-conducting.md`

Two objectives during interviews:
1. **Get better data** — Combat three bias types (confirmation, acquiescence, future-prediction)
2. **Uncover unexpected insights** — Use the Zoom Out → In → Out framework

The Zoom Out-In-Out structure:
- **Zoom Out:** Understand their world, context, and priorities broadly
- **Zoom In:** Dig into your specific topic area and test your concept
- **Zoom Out:** Final big-picture questions to calibrate importance

Key tactics:
- Ask one short question at a time
- Avoid leading questions (no yes/no, no adjectives implying answers)
- Always ask the counter ("What doesn't work?" after "What works?")
- Ask about specific recent behaviors, not hypothetical futures
- When sharing a concept: strip adjectives, pause after each chunk, ask "What comes to mind?"

### Phase 3: Analyze — Data → Insights → Action
**Reference:** `references/phase3-analysis.md`

Three levels of analysis:
- **Small (essential):** 15-min debrief after every interview
- **Medium (recommended):** 1-hour weekly synthesis session
- **Large (bonus):** Affinity diagramming across all interviews

DIA framework for each debrief:
- **Data:** What did they say or show? (quotes, strong emotions, workarounds, behaviors)
- **Insights:** Your interpretation — why does this matter? What patterns emerge?
- **Action:** What follow-ups, question changes, or next steps?

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## How to Use This Skill as Claude

When a user triggers this skill, determine where they are in the process and help accordingly:

### If they need a research plan:
1. Ask about their product/idea
2. Help them define their decision, learning goals, and target customer
3. Read `references/phase1-planning.md` for detailed guidance

### If they need an interview guide:
1. Understand their learning goals and target customer
2. Build a Zoom Out-In-Out structured guide
3. Read `references/phase2-conducting.md` for question frameworks and bias prevention
4. Produce a document (markdown or docx) with the interview guide

### If they need help with analysis:
1. Help them set up a debrief template (DIA framework)
2. Guide them through synthesis
3. Read `references/phase3-analysis.md` for detailed methods

### If they want the full workflow:
Walk them through all three phases sequentially, producing deliverables at each stage.

## Output Formats

Depending on the request, produce:
- **Research plan** — A concise document with decision, learning goals, target customer definition, and cohort plan
- **Interview guide** — A structured discussion guide with Zoom Out/In/Out sections, specific questions, and bias-prevention reminders
- **Debrief template** — A note-taking and analysis template with DIA fields
- **Analysis framework** — Guidance on synthesis methods appropriate to their stage

Always include practical reminders about bias prevention and the "ask the counter" principle throughout any deliverable.