Lab: Create an Interview Guide with Key Questions

Estimated time: 30 minutes

Learning objectives

After completing this lab, you will be able to:

Identify various elicitation techniques to elicit insights from potential users
Create an interview guide with key questions using various question types to gather requirements from potential users

Welcome to the lab on creating an interview guide!

Scenario

You are a requirements analyst for a company developing a new project management software application targeting small- to medium-sized businesses.

Your task is to understand the needs of potential users to create a software application that meets their expectations and improves their project management processes.

To do so, you are expected to create an interview guide to help interviewers conduct interviews with potential users.

Software used for this lab

We recommend using Microsoft's “Word for the Web,” one of the most used online word-processing software applications worldwide. To access this application, you will need to sign up for a free Microsoft 365 account. For instructions on how to sign up for a free account, click here. For step-by-step guidance on getting started with Word Online, click here. You can alternatively use any word-processing software or text editor for this exercise.

Template to use

If you're using Microsoft Word, you can download the Create an Interview Guide with Key Questions_template.docx. Right-click the link and download the file. You can use the template to perform the tasks outlined in the lab.

If you're using any other word-processing software, you can download the PDF format. Right-click the link to open the PDF in a new tab.

Let's begin.

Instructions

Task 0: Identify elicitation techniques

As a business analyst, you have been asked to elicit insights from potential users of a new project management software. What elicitation techniques would you recommend to complete the task?

Familiarize yourself with common elicitation techniques such as interviews, surveys, workshops, and observations.

Identify at least three techniques that you think would be most effective for this project. Write them in the template provided to you.

	Elicitation technique	Description
1.
2.
3.

Exercise: Create an interview guide to elicit insights from potential users of a new project management software

One of the ways to elicit insights from potential users is to interview them. You need to create an interview guide to help interviewers conduct the interviews.

The interview guide will include:

Introduction
Key questions (at least 10)
Closing remarks

Task 1: Write the introduction

In the introduction, first, thank the interviewee for agreeing to the interview. Include the following points in the introduction.

Purpose: Briefly explain the purpose of the interview.
Confidentiality: Assure the interviewee that their responses will be confidential and used only for research purposes.
Timeframe: Indicate how long the interview will take (approximately 30–45 minutes).
Consent: Ensure the interviewee is comfortable and consents to recording the session (if applicable).

Write the introduction in the space provided in the template.

Task 2: Create the interview questions

Create interview questions covering various aspects of project management software, including features, usability, and integration. For each question, specify the type of question. Provide the rationale for posing the question and guide the interviewer on how to elicit appropriate replies from the interviewee.

Consider the following questions:

How can you ensure your questions are clear and unbiased? (See hint below)

Hint

Use simple language
Avoid leading questions
Consider using a mix of question types (open-ended versus closed).

What strategies can you use to make the interviewee comfortable and encourage them to share more? (See hint below.)

Hint

Start with easy questions
Actively listen
Show genuine interest in their responses

Create the ten questions in the template provided. Here's an example.

	Questions	Question type	Explanation	Hint
1.	What challenges do you currently face in managing projects?	Open-ended question	This question allows the interviewee to express their frustrations and difficulties. It encourages them to share personal experiences, which can reveal essential requirements.	Follow up with probing questions based on their responses to dig deeper into specific issues.
2.

Refer to the appendix section for guidance on the different types of questions.

Task 3: Write the closing remarks

The closing remarks should include:

Thank you: Thank the interviewee for their time and valuable input.
Next steps: Explain how their feedback will be used in the development process.
Follow-up: If they are interested, offer to share the findings with them and provide your contact information for any further thoughts or questions.

Summary

Congratulations on completing the hands-on lab on creating an interview guide to elicit insights from potential users of a new project management software application.

Here is an exemplar you can refer to for the solution. Right-click the link and open the PDF in a new tab. Please remember that the exemplar is just a point of view and not a definitive solution.

Appendix

Types of questions

Type of questions	Definition	Where to use	Example
Open-ended Questions	Questions that encourage detailed, narrative responses	At the beginning of the interview to allow the interviewee to express their thoughts freely When assessing potential user behavior in specific situations	If you could design your ideal project management tool, what features would it include?
Closed	Questions that can be answered with a simple yes/no or a specific option (for example, multiple-choice)	When you need specific information or a quantifiable answer To quickly gauge the interviewee's preferences or satisfaction levels	Do you currently use project management software? (Yes/No)
Probing	Follow-up questions that encourage elaboration on previous answer	After an open-ended question when the response is vague or requires further detail To clarify points or gain deeper insights into particular aspects of their experience	Can you elaborate on why that feature is important to your workflow?
Ranking	Questions that ask respondents to rank items in order of preference or importance	To understand priorities and what features are most valuable to the use When comparing multiple options or features	Please rank the following features in order of importance: task tracking, team collaboration, reporting.
Scale	Questions that ask respondents to rate something on a scale (for example, 1 to 5)	To quantify user satisfaction, importance, or frequency of use When you want to gauge the strength of feelings about specific features or tools	On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with your current project management tool?
Hypothetical	Questions that present a scenario and ask the interviewee how they would respond	To explore how users might react to new features or changes in their processes When assessing potential user behavior in specific situations	If you could design your ideal project management tool, what features would it include?
Clarifying	Questions that seek clarification on a previous statement or answer	When an answer is unclear or ambiguous To ensure accurate understanding before moving on	You mentioned that communication is a challenge; could you clarify what specific issues you face?