The #1 Mistake When Interviewing Users of Your App
If there's one crucial mistake many product teams and founders consistently make during user interviews, it's this:
Talking too much instead of genuinely listening.
When you're interviewing users, your goal is to deeply understand their experiences, motivations, and challenges—not to defend your app, correct misunderstandings, or guide them to specific answers. Unfortunately, it's easy to slip into these behaviors without even realizing it.
Here are common pitfalls to watch out for:
1. Correcting users' assumptions
When users misunderstand your app, your instinct might be to clarify how things "really work." Resist this urge. User misunderstandings are valuable clues—they tell you where your app might be unintuitive or confusing.
2. Moving too quickly to your next question
If a user pauses or hesitates, don't rush ahead. Give them room to think and articulate their thoughts. Silence can encourage them to reveal deeper insights.
3. Feeding answers or providing hints
"Wouldn't it be easier if...?" or "Did you try clicking here...?" These subtle nudges bias users toward answers you want, rather than capturing their authentic experience.
4. Defending design choices
When a user complains or offers criticism, avoid jumping in with explanations or justifications. Critiques are golden opportunities for improvement, not attacks to be countered.
5. Interrupting or finishing their sentences
Even if you think you know what they're going to say, let users fully express themselves. Premature interruptions mean missing potentially valuable insights.
The solution: Say less, listen more
Remember, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Use them proportionately! The more you listen, the better you'll understand your users' real needs and motivations.
Your app (and your users) will thank you. And if you're looking for support in avoiding these common pitfalls, the SelkoDialog AI agent is specifically trained to conduct user interviews without making these mistakes. Being an AI, it excels in objectively listening, never feels the urge to correct or justify, and consistently provides unbiased, deep user insights.
Get started today and see how automated user research can transform your product development process.
Ready to revolutionize your user research? Sign up for free and get your first 3 interview credits.
