Free template · Validate demand

Interview notes and synthesis sheet

A note-taking layout for each interview plus a synthesis grid for spotting patterns across seven to ten conversations.

Use when: Use it during and straight after each discovery interview, then fill the synthesis grid once you have at least five conversations.

PART A: NOTES FOR ONE INTERVIEW
Interview number: [#]   Date: [DATE]
Person: [ROLE, ORGANISATION TYPE, SIZE]
How I found them: [CHANNEL]

Last time the problem happened: [DATE / SITUATION]
What they did, step by step: [STEPS]
Tools or services used: [LIST]
Time or money spent: [AMOUNT, IN THEIR WORDS]
Most painful moment (exact quote): "[QUOTE]"
Alternatives tried and why they stopped: [DETAILS]
Who decides and who pays: [DETAILS]
Priority versus other problems: [HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW, WITH REASON]
Follow-up agreed: [YES / NO, WHAT]

Facts (things that happened): [LIST]
Opinions (things they think): [LIST]
Surprises: [ANYTHING THAT CONTRADICTS MY ASSUMPTIONS]

PART B: SYNTHESIS ACROSS INTERVIEWS
Total interviews: [N]

Problem described without prompting: [X] of [N]
Currently paying for a workaround: [X] of [N]
Rank it as a top-three priority: [X] of [N]
Agreed to a follow-up or trial: [X] of [N]

Most common workaround: [WORKAROUND]
Most common trigger: [TRIGGER]
Strongest repeated quote: "[QUOTE]"
Segment where the pain is sharpest: [SEGMENT]

Assumptions confirmed: [LIST]
Assumptions weakened or disproved: [LIST]

Decision: [CONTINUE / NARROW TO SEGMENT / CHANGE PROBLEM / STOP]
Reason: [ONE OR TWO SENTENCES BASED ON THE COUNTS ABOVE]

Replace every [BRACKETED] field. Delete any line that does not apply to you.