Interview Question Starter Pack
Before You Start: Consent Script
"Thanks for helping. I am studying design and I am researching how people deal with [the desk / this kind of space]. I will take a few written notes. I will not use your name. There are no right or wrong answers, and you can skip anything or stop at any time. Is that okay?"
Only continue once they say yes. If you want to record audio, ask separately and record only with a clear yes.
Golden Rules For Good Questions
- Ask about the last real time something happened, not what they usually think.
- Start questions with "Tell me about", "Walk me through", "What happened when".
- After an answer, stay quiet for a moment. Silence pulls out more.
- When they mention a problem, ask "why?" up to three times to reach the real cause.
- Never suggest your own idea or the answer you are hoping for.
Warm-Up Questions (any track)
- Tell me a bit about how a normal day looks for you.
- Walk me through the last time you [worked at your desk / used this space].
Design Track: Desk Organiser or Learner Toolkit
Core questions
- Walk me through what you do in the first five minutes when you sit down to work.
- Tell me about the last time your desk got in the way of what you were trying to do.
- What is always within reach, and what always seems to go missing?
- Show me where things live right now. Why there?
- What have you tried before to fix this? What happened?
- If you could wave a wand and change one thing about your setup, what would it be, and why that one?
Architecture And Spatial Track: Compact Creative Learning Pod
Core questions
- Walk me through the last creative session you ran or attended in this space.
- Where did people naturally gather, and where did they avoid?
- Tell me about a moment the space slowed the session down.
- What has to be set up or packed away every time, and how long does that take?
- What do people ask for that the space cannot give them right now?
- If you had one more square metre or one more hour of daylight, where would it go, and why?
Follow-Up Prompts (use any time)
- Why was that? What was going on?
- What did you do next?
- Can you give me an example?
- How did that make you feel at the time?
Questions To Avoid
- "Would you like a better organiser?" (Everyone says yes. Tells you nothing.)
- "Don't you find a messy desk annoying?" (Leading. You planted the answer.)
- "Do you think my idea is good?" (You are not testing an idea this week.)
- "Would you buy this?" (People predict their behaviour badly. Ask what they did, not what they would do.)
Quick Note Sheet
For each person, jot down: who they are, one or two exact quotes, what you saw them do, one clear pain, and one thing you did not expect. Move these straight into your Empathy Map Template.