Built around one rule from The Mom Test: don’t ask “would you use this,” ask “what did you do last time.”

The structure I actually use:

1. Ask about their last specific instance of the problem, not their general opinion of it. “Walk me through the last time this happened” beats “does this happen often” every time.
2. Ask what they currently do about it, including the workaround, the spreadsheet, the person they call. The workaround tells you more than the complaint does.
3. Ask what it costs them — time, money, or risk — when they say it out loud, not when I prompt them for a number.
4. Don’t pitch. If the conversation gets to the end and they haven’t asked what I’m building, that’s information too.
5. Write down what they said, not what I heard. The gap between those two is where most bad product decisions start.