Showing concepts early, even at a basic value proposition level, reduces emotional attachment to specific ideas and fosters valuable feedback that guides direction. It's beneficial to openly invite constructive feedback at the outset of discussions, emphasizing the early stage of the concept being discussed. Engaging the audience by suggesting they imagine a 'microphone on their brain' encourages honest sharing of insights they might withhold otherwise. This disarming technique can prompt deeper, unfiltered feedback. When presenting an idea, keep the description simple and devoid of excess adjectives, focusing on key features. Pause for reactions and encourage open-ended responses to gather insights that highlight potential misalignments or valuable language for future iterations. This approach allows for a productive dialogue, eliciting clarifications and preferences about the concept in question.
Our guest today is Jeanette Mellinger, Head of UX Research at BetterUp and our User Research Expert in Residence at First Round.
In today’s conversation, Jeanette unspools her tested playbook for high-quality customer interviews, with particular advice for founders in the very early days of validating an idea, including:
- The three-step framework for a thorough user-research process
- The biggest mistakes she’s noticed after working with dozens of early-stage companies
- Specific advice for structuring an interview flow and crafting better questions that unlock essential insights
You can follow Jeanette on Twitter at @jnetmell
You can email us questions directly at review@firstround.com or follow us on Twitter @firstround and @brettberson.