Research Interview Guide Template

About the Research Interview Guide Template

You know that sinking feeling when you're 20 minutes into a user interview and realize you've been taking notes on three different platforms while completely forgetting to ask your most important questions? When research sessions turn into rambling conversations without clear direction, you lose the precise insights that drive smart product decisions.

The research interview guide template solves this by giving you a structured framework that keeps every interview organized, focused, and productive. Built using Miro's Docs format, this template doesn't just help you plan interviews—it becomes your collaborative workspace for the entire research process.

Unlike static templates that live in isolation, this guide integrates seamlessly with Miro's innovation workspace. Your interview structure, real-time notes, and key insights all exist in one place where your entire team can collaborate, whether they're joining live sessions or reviewing findings later.

How to use Miro's research interview guide template

Here's how to transform scattered interview chaos into structured research sessions that deliver clear, actionable insights.

1. Set up your research framework

Start by defining your research objectives in the template's opening section. What specific questions are you trying to answer? What user behaviors or pain points do you need to understand? The template guides you through documenting your research goals, target participants, and success criteria upfront.

This isn't just administrative busywork—having crystal-clear objectives keeps every question and conversation thread tied to your actual research needs. When interviews start wandering (and they will), you can quickly steer back to what matters.

2. Structure your interview flow

Use the interview structure section to map out your entire session timeline. The template breaks this into logical segments: introduction and warm-up, background questions, core research questions, and wrap-up. Each section includes suggested time allocations to keep you on track.

This structured approach ensures you're not just winging it when you hop on that Zoom call. You'll know exactly how much time to spend on each topic, which questions are must-ask versus nice-to-have, and how to transition smoothly between different conversation areas.

3. Prepare your script and questions

The template's script section helps you write out key questions and talking points ahead of time. This isn't about reading from a rigid script—it's about having your important questions ready so you're not scrambling to think of follow-ups in the moment.

Organize questions by priority and prepare natural follow-up prompts. When a participant mentions something interesting, you'll have ready-made probes like "Tell me more about that" or "Walk me through your typical process" to dig deeper without losing your flow.

4. Capture insights in real-time

Here's where Miro Docs really shines for research interviews. During your session, use the notes and observations section to capture both what participants say and what you notice. The real-time collaboration features mean team members can add their observations without disrupting your conversation flow.

Take advantage of Miro's visual components library by quickly sketching user flows or pain points directly in your interview notes. When participants describe complex processes, you can map them out visually right alongside your written observations.

5. Plan immediate next steps

The template includes a next steps section to capture action items while everything is fresh in your mind. What follow-up questions emerged? Which findings need deeper investigation? What insights should you share with the team immediately?

This prevents the common research problem where great insights get buried in notes and never make it to the people who need them. Document your key takeaways and assign clear ownership for follow-up actions before you move on to your next interview.

6. Synthesize across multiple interviews

Since this template lives in Miro's collaborative workspace, you can easily connect insights across multiple interview sessions. Create links between related findings, spot patterns across different participants, and build a comprehensive view of your research results.

The Docs format makes it simple to compile findings into research summaries that your team can actually use. No more hunting through scattered notes in different tools—everything connects in one visual workspace.

What should be included in a research interview guide template?

Every effective research interview needs these core components to generate meaningful insights and keep sessions productive.

1. Clear research objectives

Define exactly what you're trying to learn and why it matters for your product decisions. Your objectives should be specific enough to guide question development but flexible enough to allow for unexpected discoveries during conversations.

2. Participant background and context

Capture essential details about who you're interviewing and their relationship to your product or problem space. This context helps you tailor questions and interpret responses accurately.

3. Structured question flow

Organize questions logically from general background to specific scenarios. Start with broader context-setting questions, then focus on the specific behaviors or experiences you need to understand.

4. Real-time observation space

Include dedicated areas for capturing both direct quotes and your observations about user behavior, emotions, and unspoken reactions. These contextual notes often reveal insights that transcript alone can't capture.

5. Follow-up action planning

Build in space to document immediate next steps, additional research needs, and key insights to share with stakeholders. This ensures your research findings actually influence product decisions instead of getting lost in documentation.