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Recommedations for Engaging with Subject - Matter Experts
We are working on a project to build a new generation of complex, business software (for automotive repair estimating). Do you have any recommendations for engaging with subject-matter experts to validate that our requirements for the new system make sense and don't have any glaring holes?
According to research specialists, 31 is the smallest statistically valid sample.
Realistically, more customer interviews are better than fewer. We recommend three interviews to teach you what you don't already know, supplemented with survey research to determine which of the problems is most statically relevant.
If your question is more about identifying market segments from which to gather data, then a cross-section of small, medium, and large repair shops will be more valid than only talking to a single sub-segment.
This question is actually more straightforward than many we get :-) .... Many times, product managers can't FIND target customers to interview - you shouldn't have that problem.
The first step of market research is qualitative interviews in a more unstructured format to uncover overall problems in your target market. Secondly, once uncovered, you need some form of validation technique to determine the pervasiveness of the problem. Set up some interviews - hold them to 30-60 minutes - with 3-10 target clients in your area. Consolidate the problems that were identified and come up with a phone or email survey to quantify them.
Final point: don't discount the value of face-face. Offering to come to their place of business for a 30-60 minute interview will pay huge dividends and give you much better insight than a phone interchange. Offer to observe them when they do an estimate - watch how they do their jobs.
If there is another nuance you're poking on, send another question here or to jmilburn@pragmaticmarketing.com. Thanks!
By John Milburn
