Take a Journalistic Approach

The Journalist

Put on a journalism hat to seek insight that can lead to ideas for products and services.

Journalists are accustomed to learning about people by asking lots of questions. In an entrepreneurial context, journalists can capitalize on that skillset to discover a lot about what customers do, how they do it, why they do it, and what they like and don’t like about it. Listening to someone explain some aspect of their lives can foster a rich sense of understanding that deepens the subtlety with which we think about their wants and needs. It can also help inform the kind of messaging we’ll likely later employ when we want to communicate about our product or service.

Journalistic interviews are different from exploratory entrepreneurial interviews in several ways: First, journalistic interviews are often very short. We are sometimes seeking quick answers to individual questions. Exploratory entrepreneurial interviews can sometimes last for hours (though there are ways to conduct shorter discovery interviews as well, when necessary). Second, journalists are often interested in a subject’s perspective on a very specific topic or event.

In entrepreneurial or “discovery” interviews, by contrast, we want to develop a broad understanding. We want to hear about what they are most excited about in life and what frustrates them. We want to hear about what their day is like, hour by hour, and about the people, work and interests to which they’ve devoted their lives. Finally some journalistic interviews are adversarial, in that we’re questioning why a person behaved a certain way or why a problem has arisen. In entrepreneurial interviews we are on the same side as the interview subject, trying to develop empathy for the life of our subject.

There are seven phases to employing journalistic interviews in entrepreneurial research:

Consider the objectives of the interviews.

What would success look like after your interview process is over? Generally, you want to get to know what your subjects lives are like (see suggested interview questions below). There may be additional specific subjects of which you’d like to gain a better understanding. Think that through in advance of scheduling interviews because it may affect who you choose to interview, or the setting in which you choose to conduct the interviews.

Select people to interview.

It’s a good idea to speak with at least five people in the early phase of your research, so you are not thrown off by the particular quirks of a single outlier. Pick people who represent different elements of a community, or who may bring a different perspective or a unique set of life experiences. You may ask colleagues or friends for people to interview. It’s generally a good idea to interview people you don’t know well, so that they speak to you openly. Try to select individuals who will be open and willing to share thoughts candidly, and who will have time to spend speaking with you, ideally in person.

Prepare interview questions.

Prepare at least 10 primary questions that will serve as the core of your interview material. (See question examples below as a starting point). Think about how best to phrase those questions to ensure that you feel comfortable asking the questions and that your subject feels comfortable answering them. The questions should be open so that you make sure the subject feels able to talk about whatever is important to him or her, not just what he or she assumes is important to you. Sometimes subtle details in a person’s life or particular passions or frustrations he or she feels can be valuable in developing a richer understanding of an interview subject.

Invite your interview subjects.

The invite should clarify why you’re conducting interviews and how long the interview might take. You can state simply that you’re doing some market analysis and you’re interested in learning more about whatever it is that you’re exploring.

Here’s an example of possible language: “Person X suggested I reach out to you, given that you’re a scientist who has a great deal of experience in the field of nuclear physics. I’m exploring the news landscape for professional scientists. Would you be open to answering some questions? It would be a tremendous help for my analysis and a big favor. I’d like to invite you to speak with me for 30 minutes at a convenient time over the next week or two. Would X day at Y or Z time work for you? Or Z day in the afternoon? If not, please suggest any other time that would be preferable. Thanks for your consideration. - Your Name

Structuring the note that way accomplishes a few things. First, it clarifies how and why you selected this person for an invitation. It assures the person that you’re aware of their expertise, have done your homework, and won’t waste their time. The note also explains your own interest and emphasizes that you value their time and are aware that this is a favor. It invites the person to select a specific available time to avoid frustrating back-and-forth scheduling messages. Finally, it’s brief. If you feel that more info about you would be helpful to the person you’re inviting, include a link to background info such as a Web site, a LinkedIn profile or a document or video about yourself or your work.

The interview setting can be settled once they’ve agreed in principle to the idea of meeting with you. Ideally the meeting will be in person, so that you can develop a richer understanding of the person you’re speaking with. But in cases where that’s not possible, the conversation can be conducted via video Skype, so you still can make eye contact with the subject. Phone can be a backup if it isn’t feasible to meet in-person or to connect via video Skype.

The important thing about the setting is to ensure that the subject is comfortable enough to speak candidly. It should be quiet enough that you can record the interview for later review, or for sharing with teammates for their observations. Make sure to confirm with the subject that it’s OK for you to record the session, whether it’s in person, on video Skype, or by phone.

Conduct the interview.

Start by introducing yourself briefly in no more than five sentences, preferably three. Say just enough about your own background that the person you’re speaking with feels they have some sense of who you are. Ideally, they see some commonality or shared interest— that helps puts people at ease. Explain that you have no set answers you’re looking for and that you’re interested in hearing whatever it is they say. Note that you’ll be recording and/or taking notes.

Generally this kind of exploratory interview is done purely on background, meaning that you won’t be publishing anything they say in association with their name. If that’s not the case, and you’d like to blog or post to social media about your conversation, make sure you ask in advance if that’s OK. Invite the subject to decline to answer any questions that feel uncomfortable for any reason. Remind them that you respect their time and that you plan to take no more than the time originally allotted for the interview, and that they should feel free to stop the interview if necessary. That will increase the likelihood that they’ll respect your questions, given that you’ve shown respect for their time.

Before you end the interview, ask who else your subject recommends you talk to. If they have someone in mind, ask for that person’s email address or phone number and ask if it’s OK if you mention that the subject gave you their contact info. Asking your interview subject for another person to speak can be a great way to expand the circle of people you’re speaking with. And doing so after you’ve spoken with them is a great way to get a suggestion while you’re fresh in their mind and while they are focused on the relevant subject matter. Asking later on requires separate effort from the subject and may result in an ignored email.

Review the materials.

During an interview it can be hard for even the most experienced interviewers to do three things at once: listen carefully and thoughtfully; take detailed notes; interject follow-up questions when an answer begs for elaboration. That’s why it’s best to record the interview and to focus on taking only top-line notes during the conversation. Jot down key phrases, facts, quotes or passion points as you hear them, but don’t feel compelled to transcribe every word the subject utters.

Passion points are things the subject says that are weighted with emotion—things that she or he feels strongly about. Those points are often worth following up on because it allows your interview subject to elaborate on areas of particular interest to them. Thoroughly understanding what people are passionate about is key to understanding who they really are beyond what they do and say.

Make sure to set aside the 20 minutes after you finish an interview to do two things. First, summarize for yourself, in bullet points, the most significant five things you heard. Try doing it before you review your notes because the conversation will be so fresh in your mind that the most salient points will likely be some of the most important ones. Then take a quick glance through your notes to see what other two or three points are worth adding to your summary.

That summary will be valuable if for any reason there will be a significant interval of time between the interview and when you go through the full recording. Sometimes life intervenes and it takes a week or two or more for you to get back to transcribe and analyze an interview recording. When that happens, it’s valuable to have summary notes taken immediately after the conversation.

The second key thing to make sure you do is to write a quick thank-you email. Mention at least one specific thing the subject said to show that you value and respect their ideas and time, and keep the note brief for your sake and theirs. Writing the note on actual paper and mailing it is ideal, but sending an email is fine as well.

Follow-up with the subject.

You’ll often find that one or more things the subject says merits some kind of follow-up question. It’s important to be respectful of the subject’s time, so it’s not necessarily a good idea to request a full follow-up interview, but in many cases it’s fine to email a few brief follow-up questions. It’s best to ask the interview subject before the session ends if it’s OK to send them a couple of quick follow-up questions or clarifications if necessary. Most people will be fine with that, but it’s better to get their approval in advance than to surprise people after the fact.

Tips to Remember When Interviewing

Silence is OK

Don’t rush to fill the air when someone pauses before, during or after answering a question. Let your subject fill the air, because sometimes the thought they offer up after a pause is a particular gem, inspired by what has just been said.

Open is ideal

Open-ended questions are better than yes or no or multiple-choice questions. Questions should ideally let a subject speak in his or her own way and shouldn’t confine the speaker to thinking in strict categories that you’ve pre-determined. Focusing on open-ended questions helps ensure that you’re not directing the subject toward a particular idea in your head, but instead following the subject so you can better understand her own experience.

Short is good

Keep your questions short and clear. Ask one at a time. Avoid two-part questions. Make it easy for a subject to answer.

Listen and maintain eye contact

Look at a subject who is answering your question. If someone knows you are truly listening they will speak more candidly.

Ask for clarification

Try “what do you mean by that?” or “can you give me an example?” or “why?” to encourage a subject to elaborate on his/her replies. Often there’s an additional layer of meaning beneath an initial answer.

Be open to sharing

The focus should be on the subject, but if you’re asked a question, it’s reasonable and fair for the subject to expect you to share a bit about yourself as well. Conversational customs call for both parties in a discussion to share their thoughts, so if your subject turns a question to you, share brief thoughts but avoid prejudicing their answers by leading them to think that a particular answer is “right” in your eyes.

Empathy Map

After you’ve completed an interview or an observation, it’s useful to map out what you found. One technique is to use the Empathy Map, which was developed by XPLANE, a design consultancy. The map is divided into four sections:

THINK & FEEL: What is she focused on, what is she worried/hopeful about, what matters most to her?

SEE: What is her environment like, who does she see around her, what does the market offer her?

HEAR: What do friends, colleagues and bosses say? What do others who influence her say?

SAY & DO: What do her actions say? How does she behave in relation to others? What’s her public attitude?

Source: Business Model Generation Book, pages. 130-131

Take a Journalistic Approach

The Journalist

Consider the objectives of the interviews.

Select people to interview.

Prepare interview questions.

Invite your interview subjects.

Conduct the interview.

Review the materials.

Follow-up with the subject.

Suggested Interview Questions:

Tips to Remember When Interviewing

Silence is OK

Open is ideal

Short is good

Listen and maintain eye contact

Ask for clarification

Be open to sharing

Empathy Map