User Research & Validation Plan
Key Assumptions to Validate
| Assumption | Risk | Method | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Users experience significant delays in vendor risk assessments due to manual processes. | High | Interviews, surveys | 80% of users confirm delays. |
| Current vendor assessments are often inadequate and not trusted. | High | Competitive analysis + user interviews | Specific complaints documented from interviews. |
| Users will prefer automated assessments over manual ones. | High | Surveys, prototype testing | 70% express interest in automation. |
| Users will pay a subscription fee for the solution. | Critical | Pricing tests, pre-orders | 10+ paying customers at target price. |
| Customer acquisition cost (CAC) will be manageable. | High | Ad tests, channel experiments | CAC < $500. |
Customer Discovery Interview Guide
Interview Framework (60-90 minutes):
Part 1: Background & Context (10 min)
- Tell me about your role and what you do day-to-day.
- How long have you been doing this?
- What are your biggest challenges right now?
Part 2: Problem Exploration (20 min)
- Walk me through the last time you faced a vendor risk assessment delay.
- How often does this happen?
- What triggers this situation?
- How does it make you feel when this happens?
- What's the worst part about it?
- What have you tried to solve it?
- How much time/money do you spend on this currently?
Part 3: Current Solutions (15 min)
- What tools or methods do you currently use for vendor risk assessments?
- What do you like about them?
- What do you wish was different?
- Have you ever switched solutions? Why?
- What would make you switch again?
Part 4: Solution Exploration (15 min)
- If I told you there was a tool that automates vendor risk assessments...
- What would be most valuable about that?
- What concerns would you have?
- What would it need to have for you to try it?
- How much would you expect to pay for something like this?
- Who else would need to approve this purchase?
Part 5: Wrap-up (10 min)
- On a scale of 1-10, how painful is this problem for you?
- Would you be interested in being a beta tester?
- Who else should I talk to about this?
Survey Design
Screening Survey (5-10 questions):
- What best describes your role?
- [ ] Security team member
- [ ] Procurement team member
- [ ] Compliance officer
- [ ] Other: ___
- Have you been involved in vendor risk assessments in the last year?
- [ ] Yes
- [ ] No
- On a scale of 1-10, how painful is the vendor risk assessment process?
- [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
- How much time do you typically spend on vendor assessments?
- [ ] Less than 1 week
- [ ] 1-4 weeks
- [ ] 1-3 months
- [ ] 3+ months
- Would you be interested in a 30-minute interview about your vendor risk assessment process? ($50 gift card)
- [ ] Yes, contact me at: ___
- [ ] No
Landing Page Validation Experiment
Experiment Design:
Goal: Validate demand before building.
Setup:
- Create a landing page describing the product.
- Include clear value proposition.
- Add email signup (waitlist).
- Drive traffic via ads or organic.
Validation Experiment Timeline
- Week 1-2: Conduct interviews and analyze survey responses.
- Week 3-4: Launch landing page and track metrics.
- Week 5-6: Test pricing sensitivity and willingness to pay.
- Week 7-8: Deliver prototypes and gather user feedback.
Go/No-Go Decision Criteria
| Metric | Target | Actual | Pass? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interview problem validation | 80%+ confirm pain | ☐ | |
| Landing page signup rate | >5% | ☐ | |
| Price acceptance | 60%+ at target price | ☐ | |
| Pre-orders | 10+ customers | ☐ |
User Research Synthesis Template
After completing validation, document:
- Problem Validation Summary: Top validated pain points and unexpected findings.
- Solution Validation Summary: Most compelling features and user concerns.
- Pricing Validation Summary: Optimal price point and sensitivity.
- Go-to-Market Insights: User discovery channels and buying objections.