Users are the ultimate judges of whether a product is good or not. That’s why it’s important to inject the user perspective into your sprint, which can be done in a variety of ways. For example, one of your Lightning Talks could discuss existing user research findings or you could have users test your concepts and prototypes during your sprint.

You could also hold user interviews during your Lightning Talks in the Understand phase. This allows your entire team to hear from users firsthand. Make sure these interviews include questions about how users interact with or use your product, and what they like and dislike about it.

No matter what, it’s always a good idea to make the user perspective part of your Lightning Talks in some way, shape, or form— whether that’s through actual interviews or through collected research, case studies, or video clips from user interviews.

Directions:

Time: 30-45 minutes
Activity: Group

1. Craft a strong introduction to the users being interviewed.
2. Carve out time during your sprint for the team to prepare interview questions.
3. To help set the context, ask users about their experiences using the product.
4. Ask about their likes and dislikes.
5. Ask questions that will elicit user stories rather than yes or no responses.
6. Make sure ⅔ of the interview is devoted to the user talking and your team listening.