Turn a product assumption into a research question

An idea often arrives with its answer already attached: people need a dashboard, customers want a subscription, or a new feature will save time. To research it, separate the proposed solution from the situation you believe exists.

Write the assumption plainly Take a fictional example: “Independent tutors lose track of unpaid invoices.” This contains several unknowns. Which tutors? How often does it happen? What do they do today? What does the problem cost them? Write those questions before designing the dashboard.

Ask about a recent event An opening question could be: “Walk me through the last time you checked which invoices were still unpaid.” Follow the sequence. Ask what they looked at, where the information came from, and what happened next. Avoid asking them to endorse your preferred feature.

Separate observation from interpretation Use two columns in your notes. One holds what the person said or did. The other holds your interpretation. “Opened three spreadsheets” is an observation. “Needs a single dashboard” is an interpretation that still needs examination.

Decide what would change your mind Before the interviews, describe evidence that would weaken the original assumption. Perhaps existing tools already work well, or the issue is infrequent and has little consequence. A useful research exercise leaves room for an idea to change.

Finish by writing the next decision, the evidence you have, and what remains uncertain. Keep the conclusion proportionate to who you spoke with. A small set of conversations can reveal useful patterns without establishing how common those patterns are across a whole market.