Stakeholder interview checklist: before, during, and after each conversation

This checklist covers the full lifecycle of a stakeholder interview study — from mapping decision-makers through synthesis and communication. Pay special attention to the preparation steps (researching each stakeholder individually and tailoring questions) and the feedback loop at the end (sharing findings back with stakeholders). These are the steps most often skipped and most impactful when done well.

Before the interviews

• Project context written down (what the project is, why it exists, what is unknown)
• Stakeholder list created (name, role, power/interest level)
• Interview goals defined (what you need to learn from stakeholders as a group)
• Per-stakeholder goals noted (what each individual is uniquely positioned to tell you)
• Background research done on each stakeholder (role, recent work, relationship to project)
• Tailored discussion guide created for each stakeholder (base topics + role-specific questions)
• Interviews scheduled (one-on-one, 30-45 min each)
• Recording and note-taking setup tested

During each interview

• Introduction delivered (who you are, purpose, expectations, confidentiality)
• Rapport established (casual opening, acknowledgment of their expertise)
• Four topic areas covered (success metrics, priorities, history/constraints, process preferences)
• User assumptions flagged (claims about users noted as hypotheses, not facts)
• Emotional cues noted (strong opinions, hesitations, contradictions)
• “Who else should I speak to?” question asked
• Follow-up action promised (summary, next steps)

After the interviews

• Brief summary written within 30 minutes of each interview
• Summaries stored in shared knowledge base
• Themes and contradictions tracked across interviews
• Alignment matrix built (agreements, disagreements, constraints)
• User assumptions compiled for validation in user research
• Stakeholder briefing document created and shared
• Research plan updated based on stakeholder input
• Communication plan set (who gets updates, how often, through what channel)