majiayu000 Synthesizing VOC
Overview
Converts raw Voice of Customer data into decision-grade themes and opportunities. Strict protocol prevents hallucination by requiring verbatim quotes, source attribution, and minimum source thresholds.
When to Use
- Have 3+ interview transcripts, support tickets, or survey responses
- Need to understand "what are customers actually saying?"
- Preparing for roadmap planning or prioritization
- Want to validate assumptions with real customer evidence
Core Pattern
Step 1: Validate Sources
- List all files in
inputs/voc/ - Count total sources
- If fewer than 3 sources:
- State: "Insufficient sources (found N, need 3+)"
- List what you found
- STOP and ask user for more data
- Read each file completely
Step 2: Tag Verbatims (Internal)
Create a mental index:
- Verbatim Quote → Source File → User/Segment (if known)
DO NOT summarize or paraphrase at this stage.
Step 3: Identify Themes
Find patterns appearing in 3+ separate sources. For each theme:
| Required | Rule |
|---|---|
| Core pain point | One sentence, factual |
| Frequency | Exact count of sources |
| Quotes | Up to 3 verbatim (if fewer, say so) |
| Segment | Only if explicitly stated |
| Impact | Only if user explicitly stated |
Step 4: Generate Output
Write to outputs/insights/voc-synthesis-YYYY-MM-DD.md:
---
generated: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM
skill: synthesizing-voc
sources:
- inputs/voc/interview-1.md (modified: YYYY-MM-DD)
- inputs/voc/interview-2.md (modified: YYYY-MM-DD)
downstream:
- outputs/roadmap/Qx-YYYY-charters.md
---
# VOC Synthesis: [Date]
## Summary
[2-3 sentences: what did we learn?]
## Themes
| Theme | Frequency | Segment | Impact | Confidence |
|-------|-----------|---------|--------|------------|
| [Theme 1] | N sources | Explicit/Unknown | Explicit/Unknown | High/Med/Low |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
## Voice of the Customer
### Theme 1: [Name]
**Pain point:** [One sentence]
> "[Verbatim quote 1]"
> — Source: [filename], [user/segment if known]
> "[Verbatim quote 2]"
> — Source: [filename]
### Theme 2: [Name]
...
## Top 5 Opportunities
1. **[Opportunity]** — Evidence: [N sources mention this]
2. ...
## Top 5 Terminology Gaps / Misconceptions
1. **[Term/Concept]** — What users say vs. what we mean
2. ...
## What to Validate Next Week
- [ ] [Specific hypothesis to test]
- [ ] [Question to ask in next interview]
## Recommended Actions
[Only if supported by 3+ sources. Otherwise: "No recommendations; need more data."]
## Sources Used
- [file paths]
## Claims Ledger
| Claim | Type | Source |
|-------|------|--------|
| ... | Evidence | [file:line] |
Step 5: Copy to History & Update Tracker
- Copy to
history/synthesizing-voc/voc-synthesis-YYYY-MM-DD.md - Update
alerts/stale-outputs.md
Quick Reference
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum sources | 3 |
| Quote format | Verbatim with source attribution |
| PII handling | Redact as [REDACTED] |
| Unknown segments | Label "Unknown", never infer |
Common Mistakes
- Paraphrasing: "User was frustrated" → Use exact words: "This is so annoying"
- Inferring sentiment: "They seemed happy" → Only state what's written
- Assuming segments: "Probably enterprise" → Only use explicit segment data
- Recommending without evidence: "We should build X" → Need 3+ sources
- Counting wrong: "Many users said" → Exact count: "4 of 7 sources"
Verification Checklist
- Counted sources (minimum 3)
- All quotes are verbatim (no paraphrasing)
- Every quote has source file attribution
- Segment/Impact marked "Unknown" if not explicit
- PII redacted as [REDACTED]
- Frequency is exact count, not "many" or "some"
- Recommendations backed by 3+ sources
- Metadata header complete
- Copied to history, tracker updated
Evidence Tracking
| Claim | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| [Theme exists] | Evidence | [3+ files cited] |
| [User segment] | Evidence/Unknown | [explicit in source or "Unknown"] |
| [Recommendation] | Evidence | [3+ sources supporting] |