How to make sketch personas, problem interviews, and solution interviews. And when to use them to understand your market, find a problem worth solving, and a solution your customers will adopt & pay for.

1. Rocking The Interview
Must Have CustDev Expertise: Advanced Interview Skills
Jonathan Irwin
Mike Long
Managing Director
Neo San Francisco
Lead Product Designer
Neo San Francisco
jonathan.irwin@neo.com
@jonathanirwin
mike.long@neo.com
@mblongii
Wednesday, December 11, 13

2. is 88 people.
54 engineers.
16 designers (like Mike).
5 product people (like me).
and some overhead.
We advise.
And we build products.
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3. What do you mean
you didn’t talk to the
customer?!
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4. Who is my customer?
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5. Sketch Personas
helps you focus on ta
lking
to the right people
s
to change a
are e asy
pt
le arn & ada
you
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cre ate s a focus on
solv ing re al problem
s

6. Coffee shops
Lurking: on the street, in a location, online...
@MeetUps
any where.
m
just f ind the
Where do I find them?
Craigslist: Jobs/Etc.
Existing Customers
1st Degree Networks
LinkedIn Mining
Brainstorm with your team...
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7. What am I trying to learn?
Is there a need or opportunity?
Is this a problem worth solving?
Do people value my solution?
Is my solution usable?
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8. How do I do it?
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9. Interview Skills & Rules. We take it to 11
1. A focus group is not an interview - one customer at a time.
2. Prepare your goals, questions, & tactics ahead. Avoid monologuing.
3. No pitching.
4. No ice cream questions.
5. Disarm politeness training.
6. Get psyched to hear things you don’t want to hear.
7. Say it back. Repeat.
8. You need to talk to at least 6 customers before trends emerge.
9. You want qualitative data (stories), not quantitative data (numbers).
10. Ask about past behavior (actual) vs. future predictions (ideal).
11. Interview results aren’t proof, they’re a signal.
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10. Got it?
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11. Wednesday, December 11, 13

12. A Problem We Observed
There are a sh!t ton of people @leanstartup this year. I wish there
was a better way to connect with other people like me, with the
types of problems I have, so we could share stories and advice.
--Or, experiment with any problem you’ve observed @leanstartup.
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13. Who is my customer?
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14. Who is my customer? Sketch a persona
Name & Sketch
Problems
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Behaviors
Goals

15. Let’s share.
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16. What am I trying to learn?
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17. Is the problem worth solving? Make a problem interview.
Common Problems
This is a problem statement
(Priority [ ] | Pain: low, medium, high) | How I solve this today:
problems you think
the customer has
This is another problem statement.
(Priority [ ] | Pain: low, medium, high) | How I solve this today:
This is a third problem statement.
(Priority [ ] | Pain: low, medium, high) | How I solve this today:
new problems the
customer tells you
about
This is a blank problem the customer can fill in.
(Priority [ ] | Pain: low, medium, high) | How I solve this today:
This is a blank problem the customer can fill in.
(Priority [ ] | Pain: low, medium, high) | How I solve this today:
Name:
Email Address:
Referrals:
Notes:
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18. Is the problem worth solving? Run a problem interview.
“Hey, I’m [name], and I’m working on a project to help conference
attendees connect and collaborate. Do you wish it was easier to
connect and share ideas with other attendees like you? [smile]
--Yes? Awesome, here we go / No? Okay, thanks. [smile]
Wednesday, December 11, 13

19. Is the problem worth solving? Analyze a problem interview.
Do the problems really exist?
Are the problems commonly experienced?
Are the problems severe?
Are there problems you didn’t anticipate?
Is this the right customer?
Take an opportunity to refine your persona.
Should you Kill / Pivot / Persevere?
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20. The problem is worth solving!
e.
this is the moment to reflect and analyz
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21. What do customers really need?
Expressed Need
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Implied Need
Latent Need

22. What am I trying to learn?
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23. Do customers value my solution? Write out your value prop.
My product is a better way to
--With my product, you can
and
and
and
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24. Do customers value my solution? Make a solution interview.
Solution
ing
n you’re te st or
the solutio e, ske tch,
s
uld be a phra Add f idelit y
co
pe.
per protot y uncertaint y.
pa
e
you decre as
as
“My product is a better way to connect with conference attendees more like
you. With my product, you can:
- Make your profile.
- Connect with other people like you @ your events.
- Create meeting times/places @ the event.
- Link peoples LinkedIn profiles.
- Ask & respond to questions from other users like you.”
What value does this have for you?: A lot! | meh | none
Would be interested in trying out an early release?: no | yes
Have you paid for products like this in the past: no | yes - How much?
Name:
Email Address:
Referrals:
Notes:
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25. Is the problem worth solving? Run a solution interview.
“Hey, I’m [name], and I’m working on a project to help conference
attendees connect and collaborate. Do you wish it was easier to
connect and share ideas with other attendees like you? [smile]
--Yes? Awesome, here we go / No? Okay, thanks. [smile]
Wednesday, December 11, 13

26. Kill, pivot, or persevere?
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27. What We Covered
•
•
•
•
11 skills & rules for interviewing customers.
Sketching personas for customer empathy.
Problem interviews to determine a problem worth solving.
Solution interviews for finding a solution your customers value.
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28. Now you’re dangerous.
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29. More Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathic_design
http://practicetrumpstheory.com/2011/08/customer-development-getting-started/
http://leananalyticsbook.com/scoring-problem-interviews/
Join us for a DrinkUp
5:30 tonight
717 Market Street.
bit.ly/19AI0yt
Jonathan Irwin
Mike Long
Managing Director
Neo San Francisco
Lead Product Designer
Neo San Francisco
jonathan.irwin@neo.com
@jonathanirwin
mike.long@neo.com
@mblongii
Wednesday, December 11, 13