These prompts help researchers prepare for stakeholder interviews faster and synthesize findings across multiple conversations. The interview itself remains human-led — navigating organizational politics, reading between the lines, and building trust with decision-makers cannot be automated. Use these prompts to generate drafts, then refine based on your knowledge of the people and the organization.
Prompt 1: Tailored discussion guide per stakeholder
You are a UX researcher preparing stakeholder interviews for a new project.
Context:
- Project: [describe the project]
- Project goals: [what the team is trying to achieve]
- Your research goals for stakeholder interviews: [what you need to learn]
Base discussion guide topics:
1. Success metrics (how they define success for this project)
2. Priorities (what matters most to them)
3. History and constraints (what has been tried, what limitations exist)
4. Process preferences (how they want to be involved and informed)
Stakeholder to interview:
- Name: [name]
- Role: [role]
- What they are uniquely positioned to tell you: [their expertise or perspective]
Generate a tailored discussion guide with:
- 2-3 role-specific questions per topic area (12-15 questions total)
- 1-2 follow-up probes for each question
- Opening script (introduce yourself, explain purpose, set expectations)
- Closing question: "Who else should I speak to?"
Keep questions open-ended and conversational. Avoid jargon the stakeholder may not share with a researcher.Prompt 2: Pre-interview stakeholder research
I am preparing for a stakeholder interview with [name], [role] at [company/team].
What I already know about them: [any context you have]
Help me prepare by:
1. Suggesting 5 things I should research about this person before the interview (LinkedIn, company blog, recent projects)
2. Identifying 3 areas where their role likely gives them unique insight relevant to [project description]
3. Drafting 3 questions that demonstrate I have done my homework and respect their expertise
4. Flagging potential sensitive topics I should approach carefully (organizational politics, past failures, budget constraints)
Keep the tone respectful and collaborative. These questions should make the stakeholder feel that their expertise is valued, not that they are being interrogated.Prompt 3: Cross-interview synthesis and alignment matrix
I have conducted [N] stakeholder interviews for [project]. Below are my interview summaries.
[Paste summaries from each interview]
Analyze across all interviews and produce:
1. Alignment matrix: a table showing key topics (success metrics, priorities, constraints, user assumptions) with each stakeholder's position noted
2. Areas of agreement: where stakeholders converge (these are safe to move forward on)
3. Areas of disagreement: where stakeholders contradict each other (these need resolution before the team proceeds)
4. Constraints inventory: all technical, legal, budgetary, and timeline constraints mentioned, with the stakeholder who raised each one
5. User assumptions: claims stakeholders made about users that should be validated through user research
6. Recommended next steps: which disagreements to resolve first and how (workshop, executive decision, data gathering)
Flag any stakeholder whose views are significantly different from the rest — they may be a blocker or a champion depending on how they are engaged.Prompt 4: Stakeholder briefing document
Based on the following stakeholder interview synthesis, write a briefing document to share back with stakeholders.
[Paste your synthesis: alignment matrix, agreements, disagreements, constraints]
Structure:
1. Executive summary (3-4 sentences: what we learned, biggest alignment, biggest gap)
2. What we heard (organized by theme, not by individual stakeholder — to keep feedback anonymous)
3. Where we agree (safe to proceed)
4. Where we need alignment (specific disagreements with proposed resolution paths)
5. Constraints to design around (non-negotiables from across the organization)
6. Next steps (what happens now — research plan, workshop, decision needed)
Tone: neutral, evidence-based, respectful of all perspectives. No stakeholder should feel singled out. The document should make every stakeholder feel that their input shaped the direction.