Interview Script·45 min·9 questions
Discovering why developers abandon CLI setup after actively choosing the tool
You're seeing developers sign up for your CLI tool with clear intent, but then either never run the initial setup commands or start the process and abandon it partway through. You have signup data showing genuine interest, but setup analytics reveal a frustrating pattern of incomplete onboarding that doesn't match their initial enthusiasm.
Why standard questions fail here
Direct questions about 'why didn't you finish setup' typically yield surface-level answers like 'too busy' or 'too complicated.' This script reconstructs the developer's actual workflow timeline, anchoring in their specific moment of signup motivation, then walking through their exact environment and context when they first attempted setup. By mapping their real development flow and competing priorities, you'll uncover the precise friction points that derail completion.
Sample Questions
Grounded in The Mom Test and Jobs-to-be-Done.
Establishes rapport and context without revealing research focus, following Mom Test principle of talking about their life first
Listen for tool categories and workflow patterns - this context will inform how they evaluate new tools
- What does a typical day look like for you when working with these tools?
- How do you usually discover new development tools?
- Generic job descriptions without specific tool mentions
JTBD: Understanding the struggling moment and context that triggers tool adoption behavior
Use timeline reconstruction - ask for specific sequence of events leading to signup
- What were you trying to accomplish at that time?
- What other solutions did you consider?
- What made you choose to sign up rather than continue with what you were using?
- Vague statements like 'I always try new tools' without specific context
Mom Test principle: Focus on specific past behavior rather than general opinions about the product
Probe for environmental context - where were they, what time of day, what else was happening
- What did you expect would happen after you signed up?
- How urgent was solving this problem for you at that moment?
- Compliments about the product rather than specific situational details
Behavioral archaeology: Reconstructing actual sequence of events to identify friction points and drop-off moments
Map timeline with specific dates/times if possible - gaps reveal where momentum was lost
- How much time passed between signing up and your first attempt to set things up?
- What were you doing in between those moments?
- What brought you back to try setup when you did?
- Hypothetical statements about what they 'would have done' instead of what actually happened
JTBD: Understanding the experience context and emotional journey of first setup attempt
Listen for emotional language and energy shifts - frustration, confusion, confidence changes
- What did you expect to happen vs. what actually happened?
- At what point did you decide to stop or pause?
- How did you feel when you made that decision?
- Generic complaints without specific examples of what went wrong
Progressive disclosure: Understanding how motivation and context change across multiple attempts
Map each attempt with context - what changed in their situation, mindset, or approach
- What motivated you to try again after the first attempt?
- How much time passed between attempts?
- What was different in your situation or approach each time?
- Blaming themselves rather than describing specific barriers encountered
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