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Write interview questions that don't lead the customer

Practice: Setting limits and rules. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You're interviewing small landlords next week, and your researcher said your last guide asked leading questions. You need exactly 6 numbered questions, under 110 words in total, plain text: open-ended (no yes/no questions), mostly about specific past events, and never mentioning your repair-portal idea or any app feature.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Asking for 'interview questions'. The AI writes 15+ questions in sections with bold headings, warm-up and wrap-up. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 6 numbered questions. Plain text, nothing else."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each question instead: "each question under 16 words."
  • Allowing yes/no questions. AI often writes 'Do you...' and 'Would you...' questions, which invite a polite yes. Try: Add: "Open-ended only. No question that can be answered yes or no."
  • Pitching your idea. Your solution is in the brief, so the AI asks people what they think of it. Try: Add: "Never mention the portal or any app feature."
  • Asking about opinions, not events. The AI asks how people feel in general, which gives you guesses instead of facts. Try: Add: "Ask about the last time something happened, like 'Tell me about the last time a tenant reported a repair.'"

What a strong prompt includes

  • Forbids yes/no questions
  • Asks about past events
  • Keeps the idea out
  • Sets the number of questions
  • Asks for plain text

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