- name
- User Interview Playbook
- description
- Find product-market fit faster through user interviews — the same framework HeyGen used across 937 interviews to reach PMF. Includes ready-to-use question banks, JTBD templates, churn interview scripts, and NPS follow-up processes. For PMs, UX researchers, and founders who need signal, not noise.
User Interview Playbook
"Product founders spend the first 6 months doing intensive user interviews. HeyGen's founder did 937 interviews in 6 months." — Iris
Quick Reference
User Priority (Who to Interview First)
| Priority | User Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 🔴 P0 | Paying Users | Highest value, most honest feedback |
| 🔴 P0 | Power Users | Deep product knowledge |
| 🟠 P1 | Competitor Users | Understand alternatives |
| 🟠 P1 | Churned Users | Learn why they left |
| 🟡 P2 | Registered Non-Payers | Conversion blockers |
Interview Setup
- Duration: 30-45 minutes
- Format: Video call with screen recording
- Team: 1 moderator + 1 note-taker
- Recording: Mandatory (with consent)
Core Questions
Background (Must-Ask):
- What do you do for work?
- How did you hear about us?
- Which features do you use most?
- What other similar tools do you use?
Deep Dive:
- What problem are you solving with our product?
- How did you solve this before us?
- What frustrates you about using our product?
- If you had a magic wand, what would you change?
Payment Intent:
- What tools have you paid for before?
- How much would you pay for our product?
- What would make you upgrade to paid?
Screen Sharing (Critical!)
"Have users share their screen. Watch how they use it. See where they get stuck."
Observe:
- Navigation patterns
- Where they get stuck
- Features used vs ignored
- Emotional reactions
Prompt:
"Could you show me how you typically use our product?
Just do what you'd normally do."User Grading
| Tier | Profile | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 🔴 S | Power + Paid + Advocates | Ambassador program, CEO contact |
| 🟠 A | Power + Payment potential | Beta access, regular check-ins |
| 🟡 B | Occasional + No payment intent | Guide to core features |
| ⚪ C | Low activity | Monitor natural retention |
Key Benchmarks
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Registration → Paid | 5-8% |
| Interview Frequency | 3-5/week |
| Insights per Interview | 3+ actionable items |
Invitation Template
Hi [Name],
I'm [Your Name] from [Company]. We noticed you've been using [Product]
and would love to invite you to a 30-minute interview.
The session will be recorded for internal review only.
Would you have time this week?Follow-up Cadence
- Day 1: Initial invite
- Day 3: First follow-up
- Day 7: Second follow-up
- Day 10: Final follow-up
- Multi-channel: LinkedIn, email, Telegram, Discord
Closing Script
- Ambassador Invite: "We have a user ambassador program — interested?"
- Referrals: "Know anyone else who might benefit?"
- Thank You: "Your feedback is incredibly valuable!"
Post-Interview Debrief Template
## Interview Info
- Date:
- User:
- Duration:
## User Value Assessment
- [ ] High (Power user, pays, advocates)
- [ ] Medium (Occasional, some interest)
- [ ] Low (Low activity, no payment intent)
## Key Findings
- Validated needs:
- New discoveries:
- Pain points:
- Bugs found:
## Competitor Intel
- Products used:
- Their strengths:
- Their weaknesses:
## Payment Signals
- Willingness:
- Price sensitivity:
- Upgrade triggers:
## Feature Requests
| Feature | Priority | Notes |
|---------|----------|-------|
## Follow-up Actions
- [ ] Schedule next touchpoint
- [ ] Loop in PM if needed
- [ ] Ambassador invite sentResources
- Full Playbook: https://github.com/Gingiris/gingiris-user-interview
- Author: Iris (生姜iris) — ex-AFFiNE COO
- Consulting: @Iris_carrot on Telegram
Related Skills
gingiris-launch— AI Product Launch Playbookgingiris-opensource— Open Source Marketinggingiris-b2b-growth— B2B SaaS Growthgingiris-aso-growth— Mobile App ASO