50 Essential User Interview Questions Every UX Designer Needs

User interviews are important for understanding users, their experiences, needs, and challenges. These interviews help gather detailed insights, find new ideas for improvement, and check if our assumptions are correct. They show what users think and feel when they use a product, allowing teams to see things from the users’ perspective.

The information we get from these interviews helps in designing and developing better products. It leads to creating user-need statements, empathy maps, personas, and customer journey maps. To get useful insights, we should ask open-ended, non-leading questions. This encourages honest and detailed answers, often by asking for examples or explanations of their experiences.

Here are 50 useful user interview questions:

I. Introduction & Context Questions

These questions help build rapport, understand the user's background, and establish the context of their daily life or work habits in relation to your product or topic.

1. Please tell me about yourself and your relationship to [project topic/area of interest]?

2. What is your occupation/role? How long have you been in that occupation/role?

3. Describe your typical day.

4. How is this particular product/service/user interface relevant to your daily life?

5. How often do you use/interact with [product/service/user interface/topic]?

II. Current Experiences & Pain Points Questions

These questions delve into users' existing behaviours, challenges, mental models, and the "why" behind their actions, helping to identify problem areas and opportunities.

6. Walk me through the last time you did this [issue/task].

7. What if any issues/pain points do you have with [issue/task]?

8. How do you currently deal with [issue/task/problem]?

9. What are the most difficult parts of [issue/task]? Why?

10. What are the easiest parts of [issue/task]? Why?

11. Are there any obstacles you must overcome when dealing with [issue/task]? Tell me about those.

12. Do you have any workarounds for this [issue/task]? Tell me about those.

13. How much of your time is typically spent dealing with [issue/task], and how much time would you like to spend?

14. Why is this [issue/task] important to do?

15. What other methods, if any, have you tried for dealing with this [issue/task]? How well did they work/not work?

16. What do you like, if anything, about how you are currently dealing with [issue/task]? If yes- what is it? If no- why not?

17. How would you describe your experience with [tool, website, or application/product]?

18. In what ways is [product/service/interface] better or worse than those you felt were similar? Why?

19. What do you like about the current [project website or application/product]?

20. What don’t you like about the current [project website or application/product]?

21. Is there anything you often look for on [project website or application] that is missing or hard to find?

22. Is there any way [project website or application] isn't supporting your needs currently?

23. What is the most important when you look for [product/service]?

24. How do you usually get to [project website or application]? (Follow up: Do you use a bookmark? What terms do you search? What sites do you link from?)

25. What devices do you normally use when visiting/using [website/tool/product]?

26. When you are on a computer and the internet, are there any challenges you face accessing information?

27. What are the most important tasks you need to perform using [product or application]?

28. How do your [colleagues/friends/family/etc.] complete [task]?

29. Where did you learn how to do [task]?

30. How did you feel when learning how to do [task]?

III. Opportunities & Future State Questions

These questions help uncover potential solutions, explore new ideas, and understand user needs and desires for a future or improved product/service.

31. What would an alternative solution to this task look like [issue/task]?

32. What do you think [product] is best used for?

33. What are all the ways you use [product]?

34. For what else do you imagine you could use this product/service/interface for?

35. What’s stopping you from using [product/service/interface] for that?

36. If you could improve this product/service/interface, what would you change?

37. How would those changes affect your use of it?

38. How valuable would the product/service/interface be to you if you enacted those changes?

39. How likely/unlikely are you to use this product/service/interface? Why or why not?

40. Do you feel this product/service/interface would be useful for you? Why or why not?

41. In what ways would this product/service/interface be useful for you? In what ways would you use it?

42. What are reasons you might not use this product/service/interface?

43. What do you think is the primary function of the [project topic/product]?

44. What is your main goal when visiting the [project website or application]? Do you have any secondary goals?

45. What would prevent you from achieving [project goal]?

46. What improvements could be made to make [project goal] easier or better?

47. How do you use the information on the [project website or application]?

48. Would you ever need to share these metrics/information with others? If yes – who, what format and method of sharing?

49. Would you ever need to export [information or asset in project]? If yes – when, why and in what format?

50. What do you wish our product could do that it can't today?

When you conduct interviews, ask follow-up questions to get more information. Use questions like "Tell me more about that," "Can you expand on that?" or "Why is that important to you?"

These questions help uncover people's motivations and perceptions. Avoid leading questions that hint at a desired answer. While this guide gives a good starting point, make sure to tailor your questions to fit each project and its specific research goals.

How UX and Visual Designers Should Use AI Agents Today

AI agents are powerful tools that can help UX and visual designers work faster and smarter. Right now, they’re best for specific tasks that take about an hour or less.

Here’s how you can use AI agents in your design work today, while keeping the future in mind.

1. Use AI for Quick, Specific Design Tasks

AI agents shine at handling short, focused tasks. Stick to what they can do well right now instead of expecting them to tackle huge projects.

How to Do It:

• Use AI agents to create assets like wireframes, logos, color palettes, or typography suggestions. For example, ask an AI to “Generate a minimalist wireframe for a mobile app.”

• Input clear, simple instructions to get the best results. Avoid vague requests like “Design a website” and instead say, “Create a homepage layout for an e-commerce site.”

• Review AI outputs quickly to refine them manually, ensuring they fit your project’s needs.

2. Build Designs That Can Grow with AI

AI is improving fast. The agent you use today might handle more tasks next year. Plan your workflow to adapt to these upgrades.

How to Do It:

• Save AI-generated assets (e.g., wireframes or style guides) in formats that are easy to edit later, like Figma or Adobe XD files.

• Create modular designs, such as reusable UI components, so you can plug in better AI outputs as capabilities improve.

• Keep your design systems flexible. For example, use scalable color schemes or fonts that can adjust when AI starts offering advanced features.

3. Break Big Projects into Small AI-Friendly Tasks

Complex design projects are too big for today’s AI agents to handle in one go. Split them into smaller pieces.

How to Do It:

• Divide your project into steps. For a website, you might use an AI agent to:

  1. Create detailed requirement document.

  2. Define IA.

  3. Suggest content.

  4. Sketch a wireframe.

  5. Suggest a color scheme.

  6. Generate icons or images.

• Use AI for one step at a time, reviewing each output before moving to the next.

• Organize your workflow with tools like Trello or Notion to track which tasks the AI has completed.

4. Prepare for AI Agents to Work Together

In the future, AI agents will team up to handle bigger tasks. Start experimenting with ways to use multiple agents now to get ready.

How to Do It:

• Try using different AI tools for different tasks. For example, use one AI to create a layout and another to refine visuals.

• Combine outputs from multiple agents. For instance, take a wireframe from one AI and use another to apply a visual style.

• Provide feedback to each agent’s output to guide their collaboration. For example, if one AI creates a logo, tell the next AI to match its style for icons.

  
  

Practical Tips for Designers

• Test AI Tools: Experiment with AI platforms like MidJourney, DALL·E, or Figma plugins to find ones that fit your workflow.

• Keep It Simple: Use AI for repetitive or time-consuming tasks so you can focus on creative work.

• Stay in Control: Always review and tweak AI outputs to ensure they meet your project’s quality.

• Learn as You Go: As AI improves, test new features to see how they can enhance your designs.

Example: Using an AI Agent Today

Let’s say you’re designing a landing page for a fitness app. Here’s how you could use an AI agent:

1. Use AI to created detailed understanding document.

2. You can also use AI to create a detailed prompts for AI Tools.

3. Ask the AI to “Create a wireframe for a fitness app landing page”

4. Review the wireframe and ask the AI to “Suggest a bold color palette”

5. Use another AI to “Generate three fitness-themed icons”

6. Combine these outputs in Figma, tweaking them to fit your vision.

Why This Works

By using AI agents for small, specific tasks, planning for future improvements, breaking projects into chunks, and exploring multi-agent workflows, you can save time and boost creativity. AI is like a design assistant—use it to handle the heavy lifting while you focus on the big picture.

Start small, experiment with AI agents today, and watch how they transform your design process!

5 Common UX Mistakes to Avoid in Everyday Design

UX design is both exciting and challenging, offering endless opportunities for creativity. However, as UX designers, our ultimate goal is to create user-centric solutions that genuinely make people's lives easier.

In my early career, I made several mistakes. To help you avoid similar pitfalls, I’ve highlighted five common UX mistakes that can hinder great user experiences—and how to sidestep them in your everyday work:

1. Designing for Yourself and Not the User

One of the most common pitfalls in UX design is creating for ourselves rather than the user, leading to products that miss the mark despite their visual appeal. Designers often rely on their intuition, believing their solutions will work. While experience and vision are valuable, solutions must align with actual user needs to ensure success. Skipping essential steps like research and ideation can lead to ineffective solutions. A thorough understanding of users' needs, coupled with iterative prototyping, ensures that the final design is both usable and impactful. Always balance business requirements with user expectations for optimal results.

Moving away from the "I know everything" mindset requires actively seeking to understand users through surveys, interviews, and usability testing. Addressing users' pain points is the cornerstone of delivering a better experience.

Remember, even the most visually impressive design is ineffective if it is difficult to use or fails to solve the user's problems. The key to impactful design lies in continuously aligning with users’ needs and expectations.

2. No Consistency - Inconsistent Design Elements

Consistency is a cornerstone of effective design, yet it’s often overlooked in favor of creativity. While innovation is valuable, ignoring consistency can significantly harm the user experience. Consistency lowers cognitive effort, helps users remember information, and ensures they feel comfortable navigating a platform.

I have seen many designers focus too much on being creative, often ignoring the need for consistency. Inconsistencies in the placement, order, or size of call-to-action elements, for example, can lead to user frustration and disengagement. Even small variations in fonts, colors, or layouts can disrupt the seamlessness of the experience.

To avoid these issues, designers should adopt a design system that establishes standardized components, fonts, and colors. A robust design system not only reduces cognitive load but also creates a cohesive experience that builds user trust and enhances usability across your platform.

By prioritizing consistency, you create designs that are not only visually appealing but also functional and user-friendly.

3. Poor Onboarding Experience

Onboarding sets the tone for the entire user experience. It is the user's first interaction with a product, making it a critical opportunity to create a positive and lasting impression. A well-designed onboarding process not only guides users through the product's features but also ensures they feel confident and engaged, significantly boosting retention and product adoption.

An effective onboarding experience simplifies complex functionalities, highlights key benefits, and helps users achieve quick wins. For instance, Duolingo’s onboarding introduces users directly to the product by allowing them to start learning immediately, ending with an intuitive and delightful signup process. Similarly, Grammarly adopts a “learn by doing” approach, seamlessly integrating guidance with real-time usage to enhance user engagement.

To create an impactful onboarding process:

Focus on clarity and simplicity—reduce overwhelming information.

Highlight key features that provide immediate value.

Use interactive and engaging methods to guide users, such as tutorials, tooltips, or progress indicators.

A great onboarding experience transforms first-time users into loyal advocates by ensuring they start their journey with confidence and ease.

4. Overlooking Responsive Design

In today’s mobile-first world, responsive design is no longer optional—it’s essential. Ensuring your website or application works seamlessly across all screen sizes enhances usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction.

Responsive design requires careful planning to ensure an optimal experience on both mobile and desktop devices. Testing your designs early and frequently on various devices helps identify potential issues and ensures a consistent, high-quality experience.

Key strategies for achieving responsive design:

• Use flexible grid layouts and scalable images.

• Prioritize content hierarchies for smaller screens.

• Leverage breakpoints to adapt layouts for different devices.

By addressing the diverse needs of your audience, you can create a product that feels intuitive and functional, regardless of the device they’re using.

5. Lack of Clear Call-to-Action

A clear and effective call-to-action (CTA) is a cornerstone of user-friendly design. CTAs guide users toward their goals, whether it’s signing up, purchasing, or exploring further. Without a clear CTA, users can feel lost or confused, leading to higher abandonment rates.

Ambiguous CTAs like "Click Here" fail to provide direction or urgency. Instead, precise and actionable CTAs—such as "Download Now," "Start Free Trial," or "Add to Cart"—communicate the next step clearly and compellingly.

To create impactful CTAs:

• Use action-oriented language that aligns with user intent.

• Place CTAs prominently and consistently across the interface.

• Test different CTA styles and copy to determine what resonates most with users.

A well-designed CTA enhances the user journey by eliminating guesswork, improving engagement, and driving conversions.

Conclusion

To design products that meet your users' needs, avoid common UX mistakes. Focus on solutions that put users first, keep things consistent, and pay attention to important details like onboarding, responsive design, and clear calls to action (CTAs). This will help create a smoother and more enjoyable experience for your audience.

Remember, UX design is always a learning process. Each mistake is an opportunity to improve your skills. Take time to reflect on your design practices, use these insights, and keep working towards better user experiences.

Happy designing!