User Research & Validation Plan
Key Assumptions to Validate
Customer Discovery Interview Guide
Interview Framework (60-90 minutes)
Part 1: Background & Context (10 min)
- Tell me about your health condition and treatment journey so far
- How long have you been managing this condition?
- What are your biggest challenges with current treatment options?
Part 2: Problem Exploration (20 min)
- Have you ever looked into clinical trials for your condition? Walk me through that experience
- How often do you research new treatment options beyond standard care?
- What triggers you to look for clinical trials?
- How does it make you feel when you can't understand trial eligibility criteria?
- What's the most frustrating part about finding clinical trials?
- What have you tried to make this process easier?
- How much time do you typically spend researching trials?
Part 3: Current Solutions (15 min)
- What tools or websites do you currently use to find clinical trials?
- What do you like about ClinicalTrials.gov (or other sources)?
- What do you wish was different about how trial information is presented?
- Have you ever contacted a trial coordinator directly? What was that like?
- What would make you trust a new clinical trial discovery tool?
Part 4: Solution Exploration (15 min)
- If I told you there was a tool that could translate complex trial criteria into plain language...
- What features would be most valuable to you?
- What concerns would you have about sharing your health information?
- What would it need to have for you to try it regularly?
- How much would you expect to pay for a premium version with notifications and tracking?
- Would you want your doctor involved in this process?
Part 5: Wrap-up (10 min)
- On a scale of 1-10, how painful is the current clinical trial discovery process for you?
- Would you be interested in being a beta tester for a new tool?
- Who else should I talk to about this problem?
8-Week Validation Plan
Week 1-2
Problem Validation
• 15+ interviews
• Screening survey
• Assumption mapping
Week 3-4
Solution Validation
• Landing page A/B test
• Waitlist launch
• 100+ signups target
Week 5-6
Pricing Validation
• Pricing interviews
• Van Westendorp survey
• Pre-order tests
Week 7-8
Prototype Validation
• Wizard of Oz MVP
• 20 user deliveries
• NPS collection
Go/No-Go Decision Criteria
| Metric | Target | Validation Method |
|---|---|---|
| Problem validation | 80%+ confirm pain point | Customer interviews |
| Landing page signup rate | >5% (50+ emails) | A/B test with $500 ad spend |
| Price acceptance | 60%+ at $9.99/month | Van Westendorp survey |
| Pre-orders | 10+ paying customers | Early-bird pre-order test |
| Prototype NPS | >40 | Wizard of Oz MVP delivery |
Key Validation Experiments
Landing Page Test: Drive 1,000+ visitors via Facebook/Google ads targeting chronic condition communities. Test headlines: "Find Clinical Trials You Actually Qualify For" vs "Plain English Clinical Trial Matching" vs "Never Miss a Life-Changing Trial Again"
Wizard of Oz MVP: Users submit health info via form → team manually processes using AI prompts → deliver personalized trial report via email. Tests core value proposition before engineering investment.
Pre-Order Test: Offer 6-month subscription at $49.99 (50% off) with full refund guarantee. Minimum 10 pre-orders validates willingness to pay.