methodatlas
Product Discovery

Solution Interview

Clarifies customer problems, solution ideas, and evidence by preparing a solution concept, recruiting target customers, and deriving risks and next tests.

Core question
Does the target person understand the solution, see its value for their concrete problem, and would they be willing to invest effort or money in it?
MediumWorkshop + async30-60 min je Interview
Open runsheetPlan sessionStart comparison
Purpose

The method helps clarify customer problems, solution ideas, and evidence concretely. It separates problem, assumption, solution, and evidence. The result is captured as Solution Feedback, Objection List, and Validation Notes.

How it works

The team follows the steps: prepare a solution concept, recruit target customers, show the concept, ask for reactions and objections, and derive risks and next tests. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, Solution Feedback, Objection List, and Validation Notes are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.

Visual orientation

Method sketch for a quick mental model.

Solution InterviewShow a solution concept or prototype to test understanding, objections, willingness to use, and next validation steps
Solution InterviewThe visual shows a solution concept, interview reactions, understanding, objections, signals, validation notes, and the next test.Validate a solution idea before it is fully builtThe conversation separates understanding, objections, and real usage or buying signals.do not sellobserve reactionderive riskSolution conceptprototype, pitch, or mockupInterviewshow, observe, askUnderstandingis the value clear?Objectionsrisks, doubtsSignaltime, money, usageValidation Notesseparate value, usability, andriskNext testfake door, usability, or MVP

Flow

  1. 1Prepare a solution concept
  2. 2Recruit target customers
  3. 3Show the concept
  4. 4Ask for reactions and objections
  5. 5Derive risks and next tests

The runsheet guides execution with 5 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.

Open runsheet

Ideal for

  • Solution Validation
  • Prototype Feedback
  • MVP Decisions

Not good for

  • Problem discovery without a solution
  • Pure opinion surveys

Deep dive

In detail

Solution Interview follows a clear working logic: prepare a solution concept, recruit target customers, show the concept, ask for reactions and objections, and derive risks and next tests. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is Solution Feedback, Objection List, and Validation Notes that make decisions, learning, or further planning actionable.

Facilitation

Prepare a clear guiding question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan about 30-60 min per interview with 5-10 interviews and use the format either in a workshop or asynchronously. The facilitation needs noticeable structure and preparation; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.

Output artifacts
Solution FeedbackObjection ListValidation Notes
Tags
validationinterviewsprototype

Sources

Interviewing Users | NN/gnngroup.comUser Interviews | IxDFixdf.org
Artifact templates
Solution Interview Working TemplateCompact working template for Solution Interview with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
markdown

solution-interview-working-template.md

Compact working template for Solution Interview with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.

Solution Interview Working Template

Goal

Tests reactions to a solution concept before it is fully built.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

  • Solution Feedback:
  • Objection List:
  • Validation Notes:

Assumptions and open questions

  • ...

Decision / Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

When to choose differently

Short decision aid for existing alternatives.

Usability Testing

Statt Solution Interview, wenn du mit Usability Testing Bedienbarkeit an konkreten Aufgaben mit realen Nutzern überprüfen willst.

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