Getting Authenticity and Spontaneity

In customer and user interactions two critical goals are the spontaneity and authenticity of their responses and yet surprisingly few such interactions achieve them.

Are you hearing authentic responses? Or are you hearing what your customers and users want you to hear, or what they think you want to hear? Do you know which of those responses were made spontaneously and which were prompted?

People find imagining new products (and services) very hard and gaining authentic responses requires careful planning and execution.

Designing customer / user encounters to uncover new knowledge

Do you feel that you are learning what you need to when you meet users, customers and other decision makers (stakeholders)?

Are you convinced of the need to get closer to your customers and users, but unsure of the most productive way to go about it?

Best practice in discussing concepts with users and customers

How can one ensure that time spent talking to customers and users is used effectively?

How can one ensure that everyone leaves the sessions feeling that they have had new insights and have come to new understandings about the possibilities ahead?