February 2025

Learn to run successful story-based interviews and make data-driven decisions using the insights

Carol Rossi

Customer Interview Essentials for Designers and PMs

Think you don't have time to talk with customers, or that "doing research" takes too long? Not sure you're asking the right questions? Or you've talked with customers but not seen action from those insights? It all sounds overwhelming so it seems easier to just go with your gut? I get it. But it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to be a career researcher to learn the foundational skills that help you have successful conversations with customers. Since 2010, I've taught countless people to do just that. This is a highly interactive, hands-on course, with a mix of video content and projects you complete on your own, and live sessions where we take the learnings into action together. What we'll doI'll share key info that will make your interviews a success. You'll work in small groups to create an interview plan, run interviews, synthesize the raw interview input into actionable insights, and create a plan to put those insights into action. What you'll getYou'll walk away knowing how to run successful customer interviews, and how to make the insights actionable through practice in real time. Bonus: This isn't a workshop about AI tools, but we'll touch on how to use AI to your advantage throughout the research process. Let the bots do what they're good at (hint: it's not interviewing customers) so you're free to make human connections and do big-picture thinking with insights.

Don't just talk to customers, feel confident you're making the most of insights

You're a designer, PM, engineer, or other non-UXRer seeking confidence in gathering quality customer insights to make informed decisions.

You manage designers, PMs, engineers, and want to ensure your team knows how to get actionable customer insights and make informed decisions

You've run a lot of interviews but want to see more action from the results

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

We'll dive deep into common challenges, like asking leading questions or asking customers to predict future behavior, and what you can do instead. Learn to run story-based interviews and see real examples of interviews done right—and wrong.

Learn what we mean by "quality" insights and how to get them

Align your research with OKRs and KPIs. Learn how to get your team on board from the start, to make insights-driven decisions later. Identify the right participants and craft unbiased interview questions for maximum impact.

Craft a foolproof interview plan

Get confident in your ability to have customer conversations by practicing interview skills in real time, in the safe space of our workshop. Work through constructive feedback with other attendees. You'll practice several rounds of interviews.

Run interviews 

Learn the difference between findings (what you heard during interviews) and actionable insights. You'll be guided through the process of identifying insights, and how to prioritize those that matter most for your business.

Transform raw interview notes into insights

Research doesn’t stop at insights—it ends with an action plan and accountability. We’ll outline tools like "how might we" statements, opportunity and journey maps, and teach you to measure and track impact. No deep ideation, but practical strategies to take insights to action.

Make the insights actionable

At the end of the workshops, ask Carol any outstanding questions during a final 1-hour live AMA. This is a great way to wrap up your knowledge and be sure you know how to move what you learned into your day-to-day work.

AMA to address remaining questions

You'll leave this course with templates for: sample non-biased interview questions, a 2-page interview plan, a step-by-step process to go from interviews to opportunities and an action plan, and 2-page summary report. Plus, you'll get links to relevant outside resources.

Templates and links to resources

Provide a brief description for each module as a way to sell the value of what students will be learning throughout the course.

First Module

Second Module

Third Module

Course syllabus

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Meet your instructor

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Tuesdays & Thursdays

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May 7, 2022

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Weekly projects

Course schedule

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Active hands-on learning

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Interactive and project-based

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

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