User Interview &amp; Beta Testing Playbook

Key takeaways

Prioritize paid + power users (P0) and churned users — churned users expose the real problems.
Run a structured 5-part, 30–45 min script: background → workflow → competitors → pain → willingness to pay.
Beta tests need 3 layers: value validation, experience perception, gap identification.
Close with the 5-question method — including "would you pay if we launched tomorrow, and why?"

What this is

Most "user feedback" is vanity — happy users being polite. This playbook gets the real must-have and the real willingness to pay: who to interview, a structured 30–45 minute script, a 3-layer beta test, and a 5-question close that forces honest signal.

Key results

Interview script length	30–45 min
Interview script parts	5
Synthesis cadence	every 5–10 sessions
Beta-test layers	3

The 5-step user interview framework

1
1 · Target & screen
Prioritize by value: P0 paid users and power users (highest-signal), P1 competitor users and churned users (competitive view + real problems), P2 registered-but-unpaid (conversion blockers).
2
2 · Invite & schedule
Reach out and book sessions with the right mix, weighting toward P0 and churned users.
3
3 · Run the interview (30–45 min)
Five parts: background (role, channels, tenure, competitors) → workflow (what problem, how before, what changed) → competitor comparison → pain mining (bugs, friction, the "magic wand" question) → willingness to pay (what they've paid, how much, upgrade triggers).
4
4 · Close & follow up
Wrap cleanly, confirm next steps, and keep the relationship open for beta access and follow-up.
5
5 · Synthesize (every 5–10 sessions)
Aggregate findings every 5–10 interviews to spot patterns rather than over-indexing on any single voice.

Who to interview — priority by value

Not all feedback is equal; weight toward the users whose signal predicts revenue.

Priority	User type	Why
P0	Paid users	Validated willingness to pay — highest value
P0	Power users	Deep product knowledge — most actionable
P1	Churned users	Expose the product's real problems
P2	Registered, unpaid	Reveal conversion blockers

Anti-patterns (where interviews mislead)

Only interviewing happy users — politeness ≠ product-market fit.
Leading questions that fish for the answer you want.
Skipping the willingness-to-pay question — the only real validation.
Acting on a single interview instead of synthesizing every 5–10.

FAQ

Who should I interview first?

P0 — paid users (validated willingness to pay) and power users (deepest product knowledge). Then P1 churned users, who expose the real problems happy users won't mention. Registered-but-unpaid (P2) reveal conversion blockers.

How do I get honest willingness-to-pay signal?

Ask what they've actually paid for before, how much, and what triggered an upgrade — then the 5-question close including "would you pay if we launched tomorrow, and why?". Past behavior and a concrete commitment beat hypothetical enthusiasm.

How many interviews before I trust the data?

Synthesize every 5–10 sessions to spot patterns. One vivid interview is an anecdote; recurring themes across a batch are signal.

Who built this?

Iris Wei (生姜) — ex-COO of AFFiNE (60K+ GitHub stars), advisor to 150+ AI startups on PMF and user research.

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