22 Jul 2025
|14 min
Stakeholder interview
Unlock the power of UX stakeholder interviews. Discover why and when to conduct them, how to shape questions, and how they align teams, define success, and surface critical challenges.
22 Jul 2025
|14 min
Stakeholder interviews are one of the first steps in many research and design projects. These conversations help you to understand the people who influence the direction of your product or service. The information you gather shapes research plans, design decisions, and team alignment.
In this article we explain what UX stakeholder interviews are, why they matter, and how to conduct them effectively. You'll learn practical tips for preparing questions, running interviews, and using the insights to support user-centered work.
We also include advice from Michele Ronsen, Founder and CEO of Curiosity Tank and user research leader, who emphasizes that stakeholder interviews are "the cornerstone of successful UX research projects."
Ready to conduct better stakeholder interviews? Try Lyssna free to schedule, record, and analyze all your research sessions.
A UX stakeholder interview is a conversation with someone who has a direct interest in or influence over your project. These people often include business leaders, product managers, designers, developers, marketers, and others who make product decisions.
Unlike user interviews that focus on customer needs, stakeholder interviews help you understand internal goals, constraints, and expectations. They typically happen early in a project to gather background information and align everyone's understanding.
These interviews are usually one-on-one and semi-structured, meaning you follow a general outline but allow for open discussion. The goal is to understand what success looks like from multiple perspectives.
Key characteristics include:
Purpose: Gathering input that shapes your UX strategy and planning.
Format: Individual conversations guided by prepared questions.
Timing: At project kickoff or before major project phases.
Outcome: Clear understanding of business goals and constraints.
Stakeholder interviews create a foundation for successful projects by connecting business goals with user needs. When you skip these conversations, you risk working with incomplete information.
Here's how stakeholder interviews improve your work:
Align expectations: They help make sure that everyone shares the same understanding of project goals.
Uncover constraints: You learn about technical, budget, or timeline limitations early.
Build relationships: These conversations establish trust with decision-makers.
Inform research: These conversations help you focus your user research on the most important questions.
As Michele notes, stakeholder interviews help you understand "how the research ties into the broader goals of the organization," ensuring that research "isn't conducted in isolation but contributes to an overarching, prioritized mission."
This difference becomes clear when comparing projects with and without stakeholder interviews:
Projects with stakeholder interviews | Projects without stakeholder interviews |
|---|---|
Clear alignment on goals | Misaligned expectations |
Early identification of constraints | Discovering limitations late |
Stakeholder buy-in from the start | Resistance to research findings |
Informed prioritization | Feature creep and scope challenges |
Shared definition of success | Subjective evaluation of outcomes |
The most common time for stakeholder interviews is at the start of a project. This helps you gather background information before making any decisions. However, there are several other important moments when these conversations add value:
Before major design phases: To understand new priorities or constraints.
After scope changes: To clarify how changes impact goals or requirements.
During strategic pivots: To understand the reasons behind a new direction.
For the best results, consider these timing tips:
Project kickoff: Interview stakeholders before starting design or research.
Before research planning: Identify what questions stakeholders want answered.
After significant findings: Realign the team if user research challenges assumptions.
Before major presentations: Prepare for stakeholder questions and concerns.
Top tip: Use a consistent checklist
Michele suggests using a stakeholder interview checklist to ensure that key topics are consistently covered during discussions. This systematic approach helps maintain consistency across multiple stakeholder conversations.
A discussion guide helps you stay focused and gather consistent information across multiple interviews. Here's how to create an effective guide.
Before the interview, define what you need to learn. Each conversation might have a slightly different focus depending on the stakeholder's role.
Examples of clear goals include:
Understanding the business objectives for an upcoming product launch.
Identifying technical constraints that could affect design decisions.
Learning how success will be measured for this project.
Not all stakeholders have the same level of influence. Primary stakeholders are typically decision-makers like product owners or executives. Secondary stakeholders include team members who interact with the project but don't drive major decisions.
Start by interviewing primary stakeholders to get the foundational information. Then speak with secondary stakeholders to fill in details and validate what you've learned.
Use this framework to prioritize which stakeholders to interview first based on their influence and involvement in the project:
Stakeholder type | Influence level | Project involvement | Interview priority | Example roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary | High | High | First - essential | Product Owner, Project Sponsor, CEO |
Key contributors | Medium-high | High | Second - important | Lead Developer, Design Lead, Marketing Manager |
Informed | Medium | Medium | Third - valuable | Subject Matter Experts, Customer Support |
Peripheral | Low-medium | Low | Fourth - optional | Legal, Compliance, External Partners |
Group your questions into categories to make sure you cover all important topics. Common categories include:
Project vision: Understanding the overall goals and how this project fits into business strategy.
Success metrics: Learning how stakeholders will measure and evaluate success.
Constraints: Identifying technical, budget, timeline, or other limitations.
User perception: Gathering stakeholder assumptions about users and their needs.
Risk assessment: Uncovering concerns and potential failure points.
We share a comprehensive list of specific questions in each category below.
Confirm the details with each stakeholder, including:
Format (in-person, video call, or written responses).
Date and time.
Expected interview length (usually 30–60 minutes).
Any materials they should review beforehand.
Follow these steps to make sure your stakeholder interviews provide valuable insights.
Start by introducing yourself and explaining why you're conducting the interview. Set clear expectations about how you'll use the information and what happens next.
For example: "I'm gathering input from key stakeholders to help shape our research and design approach. Your perspective will help us align our work with business goals and constraints."
Use your prepared questions to guide the conversation, but be flexible enough to follow interesting threads. Start with broader questions about goals and vision before diving into specifics.
Focus on covering the key categories: project vision, success metrics, constraints, user understanding, and risk assessment.
The most valuable insights often come from follow-up questions. When a stakeholder shares something interesting, dig deeper with questions like:
"Can you tell me more about that?"
"Why do you think that's important?"
"How might that affect our approach?"
Take notes during the conversation, but maintain eye contact and show that you're engaged. If possible, record the interview (with permission) so you can focus on the discussion.
If you hear conflicting information from different stakeholders, acknowledge it without judgment.
Use neutral language to explore differences, for example: "I've heard different perspectives on the timeline. Some people mentioned a hard deadline in June, while others suggested more flexibility. Can you help me understand your view?"
This approach helps clarify misunderstandings without putting anyone on the spot.
Prepare for these common stakeholder concerns with thoughtful responses that keep the conversation productive:
Common concern | Underlying issue | Helpful response | Follow-up action |
|---|---|---|---|
"We don't have time for research" | Pressure to deliver quickly | "What's the cost of building the wrong thing?" | Show research timeline options |
"We already know what users want" | Confidence in assumptions | "How might we validate those insights?" | Propose lightweight validation methods |
"Research won't change our roadmap" | Fixed priorities | "What evidence would influence decisions?" | Identify decision criteria |
"Users will just complain" | Fear of negative feedback | "How might we turn complaints into opportunities?" | Frame feedback as improvement insights |
After each interview, summarize the key points, including:
Main goals and priorities.
Constraints and concerns.
Success metrics.
Follow-up questions or actions.
Share this summary with the stakeholder to confirm you've understood correctly and give them a chance to add anything they forgot
Below is a comprehensive list of questions organized by category.
Tailor your questions based on who you're interviewing, when you're conducting the interview, and what information you need most:
Project phase | Focus areas | Key questions | Stakeholder types |
|---|---|---|---|
Project kickoff | Vision, goals, constraints | What problem are we solving? What does success look like? | Product Owner, Sponsor, Business Lead |
Research planning | User assumptions, priorities | Who are our users? What's most important to validate? | Product Manager, Designer |
Mid-project check-in | Progress, blockers, changes | Are we on track? What's changed since we started? | All stakeholders |
Pre-launch | Success metrics, concerns | How will we measure impact? What are your biggest worries? | Business Lead, Marketing, Support |
What is the primary goal of this project?
How does this initiative support broader business objectives?
What would make this project a success in your view?
What metrics will you use to evaluate success?
What specific outcomes are you hoping to achieve?
How will we know if we've met our objectives?
Who are the main users of this product?
What user needs or pain points are most important to address?
How do you currently gather feedback from users?
Are there specific technologies or platforms we must use?
What technical limitations should we be aware of?
Are there integration requirements with other systems?
What regulatory or compliance issues do we need to consider?
Are there budget constraints we should keep in mind?
What internal processes might impact the project timeline?
What are the key milestones for this project?
Are there any hard deadlines we must meet?
How flexible is the timeline if we discover new requirements?
What risks or challenges do you anticipate?
What would cause this project to fail?
How should we handle unexpected changes or issues?
Michele’s stakeholder interview question tool can also help you develop questions tailored to your specific research and organizational culture.
Use this template to structure your stakeholder interviews and make sure you gather all the essential information. You can also access this template as a Google Doc to copy and customize for your own projects. Adapt the sections based on your project needs and stakeholder roles.
Confirm interview format, date, and duration
Send calendar invite with agenda
Review stakeholder's role and project involvement
Prepare recording setup (if applicable)
Test technology for virtual interviews
Review previous stakeholder feedback or project documents
Opening (5 minutes)
Introduce yourself and your role
Explain the purpose of the interview
Confirm recording permissions
Set expectations for how information will be used
Project context (10 minutes)
What is the primary goal of this project?
How does this initiative support broader business objectives?
What problem are we trying to solve?
Success and metrics (10 minutes)
What would make this project successful in your view?
How will you measure success?
What specific outcomes are you hoping to achieve?
Users and assumptions (10 minutes)
Who are the main users of this product?
What user needs or pain points are most important to address?
What do you believe users need most from this solution?
Constraints and requirements (10 minutes)
Are there any technical limitations we should be aware of?
What budget or timeline constraints exist?
Are there regulatory or compliance issues to consider?
Risks and concerns (5 minutes)
What risks or challenges do you anticipate?
What would cause this project to fail?
What concerns do you have about this project?
Closing (5 minutes)
Is there anything else you think I should know?
Who else should I speak with about this project?
What's the best way to follow up with you?
Stakeholder: [Name and role]
Date: [Interview date]
Key takeaways
Primary goals:
Success metrics:
Main constraints:
User assumptions:
Key concerns:
Quotes to remember:
Follow-up actions:
Send summary to stakeholder for confirmation
Share relevant findings with team
Schedule follow-up if needed
Not all stakeholder interviews happen face-to-face. Here's how to adapt your approach for different formats.
Choose the right interview format based on your stakeholders' availability and communication preferences
Format | Best for | Pros | Cons | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
In-person | Building rapport, complex discussions | Rich interaction, full attention | Scheduling challenges, location limits | 45–60 min |
Video call | Remote teams, detailed conversations | Visual cues, screen sharing | Tech issues, meeting fatigue | 30–45 min |
Phone call | Quick check-ins, busy stakeholders | Easy scheduling, fewer distractions | No visual cues, harder to build rapport | 20–30 min |
Email/Survey | Thoughtful responses, broad reach | Time to reflect, written record | No follow-up, lower engagement | Async |
For remote interviews, video conferencing works best because you can see facial expressions and build rapport more easily. Use these tips for virtual sessions:
Test your technology before the meeting.
Share your screen to review relevant documents.
Use collaborative tools for real-time note-taking.
Recording the session (with permission).
Research platforms like Lyssna can help you schedule and transcribe interviews, and store all your recordings in one place.
When live conversations aren't possible, written formats can work well:
Keep questions focused and limit the total number.
Explain why you're asking each question.
Provide context about how you'll use the information.
Follow up with clarifying questions if needed.
Email interviews work best for stakeholders who are thoughtful writers or have busy schedules. They allow people to respond when it's convenient for them.
After any interview format, maintain contact with stakeholders:
Send a thank-you note with a summary of key points.
Share how their input is shaping the project.
Ask follow-up questions as new information emerges.
Provide updates at key project milestones.
The value of stakeholder interviews comes from how you use the information. Here's how to transform raw notes into actionable insights.
Review all your interview notes to identify common themes:
Look for repeated concerns: If multiple stakeholders mention the same issue, it's likely important.
Note conflicting priorities: Different departments may have competing goals.
Identify constraints: Pay attention to limitations that could affect your design approach.
Capture success metrics: Understand how different stakeholders will judge the project's success.
Create a synthesis document that organizes these patterns into clear categories.
Share your insights in formats that are easy for team members to understand:
Create a visual summary: Use charts or diagrams to show relationships between stakeholders.
Develop a priorities matrix: Map stakeholder concerns by importance and frequency.
List key constraints: Clearly document limitations that will affect the project.
Highlight areas of alignment: Show where stakeholders agree on priorities.
A simple slide deck with bullet points and supporting quotes often works well.
After synthesizing the findings, share a summary with stakeholders to:
Confirm you've understood their input correctly.
Allow them to add anything they forgot.
Show how their feedback is shaping the project.
Establish ongoing communication channels.
This step builds trust and keeps stakeholders engaged throughout the project.
Get stakeholder buy-in from day one. Try Lyssna's interview tools free and align your team around user-centered goals.
Stakeholder interviews aren't a one-time activity. As your project evolves, you'll need to check in regularly to maintain alignment. Here's how to keep the collaboration going:
Schedule check-ins at key milestones: Brief stakeholders on progress and gather feedback.
Address emerging concerns: Be proactive about new issues or constraints.
Share user research findings: Connect stakeholder goals with user needs.
Revisit success metrics: Ensure everyone still agrees on how success will be measured.
By maintaining open communication, you can prevent misalignments before they become problems.
Top tip: Make stakeholder engagement an ongoing process
Michele’s final tip is to remember that stakeholder interviews aren't a one-time event but a "continuous process to maintain alignment and adapt to changing project dynamics" such as changes to the roadmap or competitive landscape. For more advice, check out her article on how to involve stakeholders in user research.
Join over 320,000+ marketers, designers, researchers, and product leaders who use Lyssna to make data-driven decisions.
No credit card required
