In practice
Ask about the past. “Tell me about the last time you did this” gives you evidence. “Would you use a feature that did this?” gives you a guess about the future.
An interview isn't a survey, which collects many shallow answers. It also isn't usability testing, which watches someone use a product.
Why it matters for product builders
A request tells you what someone asked for. An interview helps you understand why.
What changes in AI-first products
Nothing. A useful customer conversation takes the same time it did in 2010. It matters more now because building is faster and deciding what to build is still hard.
See how Annsa does it: Customer feedback tool →