Product Discovery Research method

Solution Interview

Investigates whether the person understands the approach and what evidenced progress it could enable in their actual context.

A Solution Interview uses a concrete concept to investigate whether people understand its value and how it fits their evidenced problem and current behaviour. Approval alone does not establish demand.

Core question

Does the person understand the approach, and what evidenced progress could it enable in their actual context?

Plan Method guide

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Participants: 5-10 Interviews participants
Time: 30–45 minutes conversation plus 15 minutes synthesis.

Paper illustration for Solution Interview

Baseline
Baseline
Briefly reconstruct the last problem incident and current alternative.
Understanding
Understanding
Show the concept briefly and consistently; ask the person to explain value and flow in their own words.
Fit
Fit review
Compare the approach with the actual incident and existing alternative.
Follow-up
Follow-up
Distinguish statements, observed actions and actual commitments.

Revise unclear elements; then test important behavioural assumptions through a real experiment.

A good fit when

After initial problem understanding and before major implementation, when testing value assumptions or objections.

Ideal for

Solution Validation
Prototype Feedback
MVP Decisions

Not good for

Problem discovery without a solution
Pure opinion surveys

Outputs

Concept findings
Concept findings on understanding, fit, objections and verifiable follow-up.
Test decision
The test decision describes a voluntary, genuinely available next step, its later verification, and the learning decision.

Solution Interview· worksheet

Fictional example

Problem and current alternative

Which real case provides the comparison baseline?

Fictional: P04 missed a last-minute room change and currently uses email. Only after this account does the team show a clickable change alert.

Concept and understanding

Which version was shown and how? What was understood or done unaided?

Version 2 shows room, start time and acknowledgement. P04 locates the room but interprets acknowledgement as a binding course commitment. Moderator help is logged separately.

Fit and objections

Which concrete improvement, prerequisite and switching barrier was identified?

Objection: push notifications are silenced during travel. Value therefore depends on timing and an acceptable alternative. Another app alone does not resolve the case.

Follow-up signal and decision

Distinguish statement, observed action, fulfilled commitment and remaining uncertainty.

P04 voluntarily books an available trial session. This is an appointment, not a purchase. The team simplifies the label and tests timely notice during the pilot.

All example details are fictional and illustrate the application.

Ash Maurya: Running Lean im Gespräch

First step

Prepare an evidenced problem and a concrete concept that can be presented neutrally.

Open the method guide

Good to do first

Product Discovery

Problem Interview

Supplies the existing problem evidence the solution approach is tested against.

Where to go next?

Product Discovery

Fake Door Test

Tests the demand confirmed in conversation with a real click test.

Product Discovery

Smoke Test

Tests the test decision with a small behavioral experiment before building.

Deep dive

Purpose

When a solution idea is already on the table, it checks how it is understood and evaluated. It looks for resonance, objections, and missing fit early in the conversation.

How it works

It uses the idea as a conversation prompt and checks relevance, trust, and possible misunderstandings with real users. Reactions, objections, and willingness to buy or use show where the solution needs to be sharpened.

In detail

Solution Interviews help because they interpret reactions to a solution approach without claiming to already fully prove market behavior. Good application observes which parts are understood, believed, or rejected, and where connection to existing routines is missing. This gives the team clues about value propositions, objections, and misunderstandings before more expensive tests or builds follow.

Facilitation

Show only as much of the solution as is needed for a clear reaction, and keep the connection to the original problem present. What is most revealing is the moment when interest in a concrete next action becomes visible or a central objection recurs. Close with clearly separated signals on value, ambiguity, and rejection, plus a decision on the next test stage.

The method guide walks execution through 4 phases, timing, 4 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.

Open method guide

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Sources and topics

Topics

Validation Interviews Prototype

Sources

Ash Maurya: Running Lean im Gesprächjobstobedone.orgOriginal statements on moving from problem understanding to testing a solution.Strategyzer: Don’t Believe Your Customersstrategyzer.comPrimary source on distinguishing statements from actual actions.

Artifact templates

Solution Interview: WorksheetPrepare an evidenced problem and a concrete concept that can be presented neutrally.

markdown

solution-interview-working-template.md

Prepare an evidenced problem and a concrete concept that can be presented neutrally.

Solution Interview: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Complete cycle Time: 30–45 minutes conversation plus 15 minutes synthesis.

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Materials: Concept, neutral tasks, observation sheet.
Roles: Target participant, neutral moderator, note-taker.
Advance information: Prepare an evidenced problem and a concrete concept that can be presented neutrally.
Overall time needed: 30–45 minutes conversation plus 15 minutes synthesis.
Setup: Fix concept version and tasks in advance; discuss the problem incident first, then show the same representation. Record observation separately from interpretation.

Prepare for the work steps

Baseline: Baseline

Existing problem evidence

Understanding: Understanding

Concept and task

Fit: Fit review

Problem anchor and concept findings

Follow-up: Follow-up

Findings and real follow-up option