Our Stakeholder Interview Process
At Nika, we understand that successful products stem from a deep understanding of our client’s needs. A fundamental step in achieving this is the stakeholder interview process. These interviews help us align project goals, clarify expectations and uncover valuable insights. Whether we’re working on a website redesign, a product launch or a business strategy, structured conversations with key stakeholders ensure that your project progresses with clarity and purpose.
Stakeholders are individuals who are involved in or affected by a project. They can be internal, such as executives and technical teams who are directly engaged in the project, or external, such as customers who are impacted by the project but not actively involved. Stakeholder interviews are typically conducted early in a project, and depending on the nature of the project, multiple interviews may be arranged with various stakeholders.
Benefits
- Understand Project Background: Gather context to align efforts efficiently.
- Clarify Business Goals: Define objectives and success metrics from multiple perspectives.
- Enhance User Experience: Adapt the product to meet stakeholder and user needs.
- Improve Decision-Making: Inform choices on features, design, and functionality.
- Identify Risks Early: Address potential challenges before they impact progress.
- Boost Engagement: Encourage stakeholder involvement for stronger project support, and for increased visibility and transparency.
Our Stakeholder Interview Process
We have over 10 years of experience conducting these interviews and have learned valuable tips and tricks during that time. We are excited to share our top six insights with you.
- Define Research Goals
We begin by asking: What do we need to learn for project success? This helps us clarify stakeholder expectations, business objectives, key product users, system pain points, and success metrics. These goals create a clear focus for interviews.
- Identify Stakeholders
Working with the client team, we determine which internal stakeholders and user groups should participate. This ensures diverse perspectives, leading to a well-rounded understanding of the product’s current state and future potential.
- Develop Interview Questions
Each stakeholder group receives tailored questions to gather insights based on their experience. These open-ended questions encourage meaningful discussions around:
- Expertise: How their role and interactions shape their perspective
- Success Metrics: What success looks like from their viewpoint
- Priorities: Key challenges, opportunities, and areas for improvement
- Sample Questions:
- What is the goal of this project?
- Why is this project important to you?
- What are the biggest challenges to success?
- How do you define a great user experience?
- What works well in the current product? What could be better?
- Conduct the Interviews
Each session has a minimum of two team members, usually a Product Strategist and a Designer, to ensure all the insights are captured and any questions are answered. There will also be 2-3 stakeholders present.
- Analyze Responses
After each interview, we review findings and refine our approach for upcoming sessions. Once all interviews are completed, we analyze responses to identify key patterns, opportunities, and challenges.
- Develop Insights & Recommendations
From the data, we create actionable recommendations for design, features, and user experience improvements. This ensures the final product not only meets but exceeds expectations.
Best Practices for Stakeholder Interviews
- Define clear objectives – Establish what insights you need to ensure project success.
- Select stakeholders carefully – Identify key participants to gain well-rounded perspectives.
- Customize your questions – Tailor them to each group for more relevant responses.
- Use open-ended questions – Encourage thoughtful, detailed answers.
- Share questions in advance – Helps stakeholders prepare and provide meaningful input.
- Conduct interviews in pairs – One leads the conversation while the other takes notes.
- Record sessions (with consent) – Capturing details ensures accuracy and prevents data loss.
- Use surveys for larger groups – When interviews aren’t feasible, surveys help collect key data.
Stakeholder interviews are essential for gathering insights that shape a successful project. By fostering open communication and collaboration, they help define goals, refine user experience, anticipate challenges, and strengthen client relationships.