Client Interviewing Skill

Conduct effective client discovery interviews using structured questionnaire workflows.

Client Engagement Tiers

Express Brand (2-week engagement)

• Questionnaire: references/client-onboarding-questionnaires/express-brand-questionnaire.md
• Focus: Core visual identity and basic positioning
• Duration: 45-60 minutes

Full Brand Identity (6-week engagement)

• Questionnaire: references/client-onboarding-questionnaires/full-brand-identity-questionnaire.md
• Focus: Comprehensive positioning, messaging, narrative, and visual identity
• Duration: 90-120 minutes

How to Conduct Interviews

1. Load the Questionnaire

Load the appropriate questionnaire based on engagement tier. The questionnaire provides the complete structure: all sections, all questions, and any multiple-choice options.

2. Interview Section-by-Section

For each section in the questionnaire:

Introduce the section:

• State the section name and purpose
• List all questions in the section upfront
• Explain why this information matters

Ask questions one at a time:

• Present one question, wait for response
• Never ask multiple questions simultaneously
• Allow space for thinking

Guide answers when appropriate:

• Provide examples for abstract questions (brand personality, differentiation)
• Reference multiple-choice options when they exist in the questionnaire
• Offer industry-specific context when helpful
• Don't guide factual questions or when client is already answering

Probe for depth:

• Ask for specific examples and evidence
• Push for concrete details vs vague answers
• Identify contradictions and tensions
• Capture direct quotes for key responses

Transition smoothly:

• Summarize key insights from the section
• Ask if they want to add anything
• Preview the next section

3. Capture Raw Material

During the interview, capture:

• Direct quotes (exact client language)
• Specific examples and proof points
• Emotional cues and energy shifts
• Contradictions between responses

Logging Interview Outputs

Storage Location

Store all interview materials in:

/brand/research/onboarding-questionnaire/
├── questionnaire-responses.md
├── interview-notes.md
└── key-insights.md (optional)

Naming: Use kebab-case for client names (e.g., "Acme AI" → acme-ai)

Logging Format

Follow the format defined in references/output-guidelines/interview-logging-format.md:

output: questionnaire-responses.md

• Structured Q&A format following questionnaire sections
• Verbatim capture for critical questions
• Multiple formatting patterns for different response types

Success Criteria

Effective interviews produce:

• ✅ Specific, detailed responses (not vague)
• ✅ Evidence and examples for claims
• ✅ Clear differentiation insights
• ✅ Direct quotes captured
• ✅ Contradictions identified

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Asking multiple questions at once
• ❌ Accepting vague answers without probing
• ❌ Not capturing direct quotes
• ❌ Reading questions robotically
• ❌ Skipping section introductions