A discussion guide is your roadmap for research conversations. Whether you're interviewing users, running focus groups, or meeting with stakeholders, a well-crafted guide helps you get the insights you need without missing important questions.
Think of a discussion guide template like a flexible conversation outline. It's not a rigid script – instead, it's a framework that keeps you on track while letting you explore unexpected but valuable topics that come up during research.
In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know what is a discussion guide, and creating and using discussion guides for different types of research:
- What makes a great UX discussion guide
- How to structure focus group discussion guides for group dynamics
- Tips for stakeholder discussion guide creation
- Templates and examples you can use today
What is a discussion guide?
A discussion guide is a structured document that maps out the questions, topics, and prompts a researcher uses to guide research conversations. It's not a rigid script, but rather a flexible framework that keeps research sessions productive and focused while allowing natural dialogue to emerge.
What is the purpose of a discussion guide?
For UX research
What is a discussion guide in user research?
A UX discussion guide outlines how researchers will explore users' experiences, behaviors, and needs during research sessions. Unlike casual conversations, this type of guide helps researchers systematically understand how people interact with products and services while uncovering deeper insights about their motivations and pain points.
Why you need a user research discussion guide
Good UX research requires consistency across multiple sessions to identify reliable patterns. A discussion guide helps you maintain this consistency while still adapting to each participant's unique perspective. It ensures you gather comparable data that can inform design decisions, while giving you the flexibility to pursue unexpected but valuable insights.
For focus groups
What is an FGD guide?
A focus group discussion guide structures how moderators lead group conversations to generate rich insights through participant interaction. It differs from individual interview guides because it needs to account for group dynamics, encourage discussion between participants, and manage multiple perspectives simultaneously.
Focus group discussion guide examples
A typical focus group discussion guide starts with warm-up activities to build comfort among participants. It then moves through carefully sequenced topics that build on each other. For example, in a study about online shopping habits, you might begin with general shopping behaviors before exploring specific pain points and eventually testing new concept ideas.
For stakeholder interviews
How does a stakeholder discussion guide help?
A stakeholder discussion guide helps researchers gather critical business context and requirements that shape product decisions. Unlike user interviews that focus on behaviors and needs, stakeholder conversations need to uncover organizational goals, constraints, and success metrics. Your guide helps navigate complex business relationships while ensuring you get the strategic insights needed to align research with business objectives.
The same key questions often work across different stakeholder roles - from product managers to executives - but the depth and focus may shift. For example, when discussing project goals, a product manager might detail specific user problems to solve, while an executive focuses on broader business impact.
How to create a good discussion guide
Creating an effective discussion guide takes careful planning and iteration. Start by clearly defining your research objectives - what specific questions do you need to answer? What decisions will this research inform? Once you have clear goals, build your guide through these steps:
- Structure your conversation flow from broad to specific. Begin with general context before diving into detailed topics. This helps participants get comfortable while giving you valuable background information.
- Write questions that encourage detailed responses. Instead of "Do you like this feature?", ask "Tell me about your experience using this feature." Open-ended questions lead to richer insights.
- Include follow-up prompts to dig deeper. Prepare probing questions like "Can you tell me more about that?" or "What makes you say that?" These help you explore interesting threads without losing your place.
- Plan your timing. Allocate rough time estimates for each section while building in flexibility. This helps you cover all key topics while still following promising discussion threads.
Discussion guide example questions
Strong discussion guides use different question types strategically. Here's an example discussion guide template that demonstrates this.
Opening questions:
"Walk me through a typical day in your role."
"What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?"
Transition questions:
"When did you last encounter [specific problem]?"
"How do you currently handle this situation?"
Key topic questions:
"What makes this process particularly challenging?"
"How do you know when you've succeeded?"
Closing questions:
"What else should I know about this topic?"
"What questions do you have for me?"
Discussion guide template for user interviews
Here's a proven template by Looppanel to help structure your next user interview. Adapt these sections based on your research goals.
Download the discussion guide template PDF here.
Feel free to copy this template and modify it for your needs. The best discussion guides evolve as you learn more about your users.
How Looppanel makes the most of your discussion guide
A good discussion guide is just the start. To get the most value from your research conversations, you need a tool that helps you capture and analyze what participants tell you.
Looppanel is a UX research analysis & repository solution for the modern UX team. Looppanel helps you analyze research data 10x faster, centralize feedback in one searchable hub, and surface insights in seconds.
Looppanel uses your discussion guide to organize research data automatically. Just upload your guide before interviews start, and the platform structures everything around your questions.
Here's what happens when you use Looppanel with your discussion guide:
- Begin by uploading your discussion guide to set up the analysis framework.
- Get detailed AI notes during your interviews, sorted by each guide question
- The Question View shows you what every participant said about each topic
- Get automatic affinity mapping based on your discussion guide structure – the AI groups similar responses and suggests themes
- You get video clips and quotes sorted by question, perfect for reports
This works for both one-on-one interviews and focus groups. You can stop juggling note-taking and focus on what matters most—having great conversations with your participants.
Ready to transform your user research process? Try Looppanel today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you structure a research discussion?
A strong discussion guide starts with an introduction to put participants at ease, followed by warm-up questions about their background. The middle section contains your core research questions, organized by topic or theme. End with wrap-up questions and next steps. For stakeholder discussion guides, you'll want to include sections about business goals and success metrics. A good discussion guide template helps maintain this flow while keeping you on track during the session.
How do you write a research discussion guide?
Start by listing your research objectives - what do you need to learn? Then create open-ended questions that help uncover those insights. A UX discussion guide typically includes 5-7 main topics with follow-up prompts under each. Keep the language conversational and avoid leading questions. Many discussion guide examples show how to balance structure with flexibility, allowing you to follow interesting threads while staying focused on your goals.
How to create a user interview script?
Instead of a rigid script, create a flexible discussion guide for UX research that outlines key topics and questions. This helps the conversation feel natural while ensuring you cover important points. Start with your research goals, then draft questions that probe deeper into the user's experiences and pain points. A good ux discussion guide includes time estimates for each section and notes about which questions are essential versus optional.
How to document a UX interview?
Use a combination of note-taking and recording to capture interview insights. Tools like Looppanel can automatically organize responses based on your discussion guide structure while recording the session. Take brief notes during the interview, focusing on key quotes and non-verbal cues. After the session, review recordings to fill in gaps and pull out relevant clips. What is a discussion guide's role here? It helps structure your documentation by organizing responses under consistent topics.
How to write a focus group discussion guide?
A focus group discussion guide follows similar principles to interview guides but includes techniques for managing group dynamics. Start with an ice-breaker to get everyone comfortable speaking. Include activities that encourage group interaction while preventing any one person from dominating. A focus group discussion guide template typically includes time for individual reflection before group discussion to ensure all voices are heard.
How do you format a discussion guide?
Clear formatting makes your discussion guide easy to use during sessions. Include clear headers for each section, time estimates, and specific questions in bullet points. Leave white space for notes. Many discussion guide examples show how to highlight must-ask questions and include probing questions underneath. A focus group discussion guide example might also include notes about managing group dynamics and timing for activities.
What are the five characteristics of a focus group discussion?
The key elements are: a skilled moderator using a well-structured focus group discussion guide template, a small group (usually 6-8 participants), a focused topic, interactive discussion, and a permissive environment that encourages diverse opinions. The moderator uses the discussion guide to keep the conversation on track while encouraging natural group dynamics and ensuring all participants contribute.
What makes an effective focus group discussion guide?
An effective guide balances structure with flexibility, includes clear time allocations, and features questions that spark group discussion rather than just individual responses. It should include ice-breakers, transition statements between topics, and specific prompts for managing group dynamics. When looking at what is a discussion guide for focus groups, you'll notice it includes more group activities and discussion prompts than individual interview guides.
What are common examples of focus group discussions?
Common scenarios include product feedback sessions, brand perception discussions, and user needs exploration. A focus group discussion guide example might show how to structure a session exploring a new product concept, with sections for initial reactions, detailed feedback, and comparison with competitors. Focus groups are particularly useful when you need to understand how people influence each other's opinions and behaviors.
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