User Interviews - Don't start with an MVP

There's a critical step that should precede creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP): talking to your customers to understand their needs.

This can be done by conducting problem-solution interviews.

This technique was championed by Ash Maurya, enable founders and teams to think systematically about the problem they're aiming to solve and address crucial questions before investing precious time and resources into building a product that might miss the mark.

Remember, conversations with potential users and meticulous documentation of insights are superior methods for understanding a problem compared to relying on assumptions. Our ability to accurately predict user needs and behaviors without direct input is more limited than we often realize.

Effective problem-solution interviews uncover genuine pain points of users, reveal their current solutions, and gauge their willingness to adopt new ones. This information is key for product, design, engineering, and management to answer fundamental questions about the viability and desirability of the product being conceived.

This process fosters understanding, alignment, and trust across the team. It's also an organic way for team members to collaborate, challenge assumptions, and refine the product hypothesis.

What constitutes effective problem-solution interviews

Impactful problem-solution interviews should unveil the true nature of the problem, validate its significance, and illuminate a clear path to delivering a valuable solution. We assert that this process must address these key areas:

To maintain focus, it's advisable to conduct multiple short interviews rather than extensive, meandering conversations. Capture insights promptly after each interview. There's a risk of the interview process becoming overly complex or time-intensive, so we recommend adhering to these principles:

Examples

An inspiring example of effective problem-solution interviews is how Airbnb co-founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia validated their idea. Before writing any code, they simply spoke with potential hosts and guests in their area. They discovered that many homeowners were interested in renting out spare rooms, and travelers were looking for more authentic, affordable accommodation options. These conversations shaped their initial service offering and helped them understand the key pain points they needed to address.

How to initiate the process

Define your target audience precisely Craft a set of probing, open-ended questions about the problem Recruit a diverse set of interview participants Conduct interviews, practicing active listening and delving for deeper insights Meticulously document and analyze your findings Iterate on your problem and solution hypotheses based on the data gathered

FAQ

Isn't the lean startup method all about launching quickly and iterating?

While speed is undoubtedly crucial, launching without a deep understanding of your users can lead to squandered time and resources. We posit that dedicating a few weeks to problem-solution interviews will result in a more focused and effective product strategy. You can conduct 20-30 insightful interviews in a couple of weeks to validate your thinking, then proceed to prototyping and building your product on a much more solid foundation.

If I have a brilliant product idea, why do I need problem-solution interviews?

Your product idea, regardless of how brilliant it may seem, is inevitably based on assumptions. Problem-solution interviews help validate these assumptions and frequently reveal unexpected insights that can dramatically enhance your product concept or even guide you towards pivoting to a more promising opportunity. Remember, even the most visionary founders can benefit from the wisdom of their potential users.