Before writing a single line of code or sketching wireframes, conducting user interviews can provide invaluable insights that shape the direction of a product. Understanding potential users’ needs, behaviors, and pain points helps teams make informed decisions, reducing the risk of building something that misses the mark. Here’s what user interviews can reveal before development even begins:
Real Problems vs. Assumed Problems
Founders often enter development with assumptions about what users need. However, user interviews help validate—or disprove—these assumptions. They reveal whether a problem is significant enough to warrant a solution and whether users are actively seeking one.
Current Workarounds & Frustrations
Users often find creative ways to solve their problems with existing tools. By understanding how they currently address pain points, you can identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation.
User Expectations & Desired Features
User interviews highlight what users expect from a solution. This helps prioritize features based on actual demand instead of guesswork, which is crucial insight in preventing feature bloat and focusing on what truly matters.
Language & Mental Models
Users describe their problems in specific ways. Capturing their language helps design intuitive interfaces, write clear marketing messages, and ensure the product feels familiar and easy to use.
Buying Triggers & Decision-Making Factors
Understanding what motivates users to adopt a new product—such as cost, convenience, efficiency, or social proof—can guide pricing models, onboarding strategies, and messaging.
Market Gaps & Unmet Needs
With user interviews, you may find gaps in existing solutions or underserved user segments. These insights can reveal new market opportunities or unique angles for differentiation.
Potential Barriers to Adoption
User interviews also uncover reasons why people might resist adopting a new product, such as habit, skepticism, or learning curves. Identifying these barriers early allows you to develop strategies to overcome them.
User interviews are a powerful tool for de-risking product development. They provide clarity, direction, and user-centered insights that can shape the foundation of a successful product. Instead of building based on intuition, teams can develop solutions that are truly aligned with user needs—resulting in higher engagement, adoption, and long-term success.