majiayu000 Client Interviewing Skill
Conduct effective client discovery interviews using structured questionnaire workflows.
Client Engagement Tiers
Express Brand (2-week engagement)
- Questionnaire: references/client-onboarding-questionnaires/express-brand-questionnaire.md
- Focus: Core visual identity and basic positioning
- Duration: 45-60 minutes
Full Brand Identity (6-week engagement)
- Questionnaire: references/client-onboarding-questionnaires/full-brand-identity-questionnaire.md
- Focus: Comprehensive positioning, messaging, narrative, and visual identity
- Duration: 90-120 minutes
How to Conduct Interviews
1. Load the Questionnaire
Load the appropriate questionnaire based on engagement tier. The questionnaire provides the complete structure: all sections, all questions, and any multiple-choice options.
2. Interview Section-by-Section
For each section in the questionnaire:
Introduce the section:
- State the section name and purpose
- List all questions in the section upfront
- Explain why this information matters
Ask questions one at a time:
- Present one question, wait for response
- Never ask multiple questions simultaneously
- Allow space for thinking
Guide answers when appropriate:
- Provide examples for abstract questions (brand personality, differentiation)
- Reference multiple-choice options when they exist in the questionnaire
- Offer industry-specific context when helpful
- Don't guide factual questions or when client is already answering
Probe for depth:
- Ask for specific examples and evidence
- Push for concrete details vs vague answers
- Identify contradictions and tensions
- Capture direct quotes for key responses
Transition smoothly:
- Summarize key insights from the section
- Ask if they want to add anything
- Preview the next section
3. Capture Raw Material
During the interview, capture:
- Direct quotes (exact client language)
- Specific examples and proof points
- Emotional cues and energy shifts
- Contradictions between responses
Logging Interview Outputs
Storage Location
Store all interview materials in:
/brand/research/onboarding-questionnaire/
├── questionnaire-responses.md
├── interview-notes.md
└── key-insights.md (optional)
Naming: Use kebab-case for client names (e.g., "Acme AI" → acme-ai)
Logging Format
Follow the format defined in references/output-guidelines/interview-logging-format.md:
output: questionnaire-responses.md
- Structured Q&A format following questionnaire sections
- Verbatim capture for critical questions
- Multiple formatting patterns for different response types
Success Criteria
Effective interviews produce:
- ✅ Specific, detailed responses (not vague)
- ✅ Evidence and examples for claims
- ✅ Clear differentiation insights
- ✅ Direct quotes captured
- ✅ Contradictions identified
Common Mistakes
- ❌ Asking multiple questions at once
- ❌ Accepting vague answers without probing
- ❌ Not capturing direct quotes
- ❌ Reading questions robotically
- ❌ Skipping section introductions