Stakeholder Interview Scripts & Analysis Templates

Purpose

This tool helps teams run short, reliable stakeholder interviews that surface real problems, measurable success criteria, and the data needed to evaluate AI or process improvement pilots. Use the scripts to keep conversations comparable across roles, capture clear notes, and convert findings into opportunity statements and pilot-ready briefs.

Before the Interview — Logistics & Consent

• Length: 30–45 minutes (shorter for busy frontline staff).
• Mode: In person or video. Record only with explicit consent; otherwise take structured notes.
• Invite: State the goal simply: "We want to learn about your daily work and pain points so we can identify practical improvements."
• Consent script: "This conversation will help us understand problems and measure success. With your permission we may record or save notes. Your answers will be used to design possible solutions, not to evaluate individuals."

Interviewer Opening Script

Use this short opener to build rapport and set expectations.

Intro: "Thank you for your time. I’m [name]. We’re talking to people who do [role] work to learn what’s hard, what’s valuable, and what success would look like. There are no right or wrong answers—only useful experience. Can I record this or take notes?"

Core Question Set (Use with all roles)

1. Walk me through a typical day or shift. What are the main tasks you own?
2. What takes the most time or attention? (Ask for examples: times, frequency.)
3. What frustrates you most in that work? Can you describe a recent example?
4. When things go well, what does success look like? How do you know?
5. What data or tools do you currently use to do the work or measure success?
6. What would you change if you could wave a wand? Why would that matter?
7. Who else is affected when this goes wrong or right? Who else should we talk to?
8. Are there safety, compliance, privacy, or procedural constraints we should know about?
9. If we built a small pilot to help, what would be a useful early outcome to measure?

Role-Specific Prompts

Probing & Follow-up Techniques

• Ask for specific recent examples ("Tell me about the last time that happened").
• Ask for frequency and duration ("How often does that occur? How long does it take?").
• Ask for consequences ("What happens next? Who is impacted?").
• Clarify metrics ("How would you measure whether this is fixed?").

Note-Taking Template (Use during interview)

Capture succinct facts—avoid long transcripts unless consented.

• Interviewee: role, name, location
• Date/Time:
• Key tasks described:
• Top pain(s): short description + example
• Frequency / Duration:
• Current measures / KPIs:
• Potential quick wins mentioned:
• Data sources available:
• Constraints / risks:
• Suggested next interviewees:

Synthesis Template — Convert Notes into an Opportunity Statement

Use this short structure to create comparable outputs across interviews.

Opportunity: When [situation/context], the [role] needs to [need / capability] because [problem/impact].

Success looks like: [observable metric, baseline → target, timeframe].

Available data: [list sources, owners, accessibility].

Constraints / risks: [safety, compliance, privacy, resourcing].

Estimated impact: [time saved, error reduction, cost avoided—quantify if possible].

Prioritization Checklist (Quick Pilot Readiness)

Score each opportunity 1–5 (1=Low, 5=High) and weight as needed.

• Impact on core KPI (weight 30%)
• Frequency / scale of problem (20%)
• Data availability & quality (20%)
• Implementation cost & complexity (15%)
• Regulatory / safety risk (15% — lower is better)

Use the weighted score to shortlist 2–4 pilot candidates.

Output: What to Produce After 6–10 Interviews

1. Consolidated list of opportunity statements (one per problem).
2. For each statement: baseline metric, target metric, available data, data owner, and preliminary estimate of impact.
3. Prioritized pilot shortlist with rationale and a simple feasibility score.
4. One-page pilot brief for the top candidate: Problem, Proposed MVP, Success metrics, Data needs, Stakeholders, Timeline, Risks.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Collecting vague wishes instead of measurable outcomes—always ask "How will we know it worked?"
• Interviewing only advocates—include people who experience the problem daily.
• Assuming data exists—verify during the interview and record the owner.
• Designing solutions before synthesizing evidence—generate opportunity statements first.

Quick Checklist for Interview Rounds

1. Define target roles (mix frontline, supervisors, ops owners, support).
2. Prepare and test recording/consent process.
3. Run 6–10 interviews, using the note template.
4. Complete synthesis template for each interview within 24–48 hours.
5. Run a short synthesis workshop to cluster opportunities and score pilots.

Example Opportunity (short)

Opportunity: When a machine alarm triggers during night shift, the operator needs a clear, prioritized checklist with likely causes because current troubleshooting is ad hoc and causes long downtime.

Success: Mean time to acknowledge reduced from 12 min → 5 min within 3 months.

Available data: alarm logs (ops DB), shift roster, maintenance history (owner: maintenance lead).

Next Steps & Adaptation

Use these scripts as a starting point. Tailor language for your context and legal/privacy requirements. After using the tool, capture lessons learned so the scripts evolve with your organization’s Hungers.