Usage and attitudes template and interview questions
Understand how people use a category, what they think about it and what shapes their choices.
The short version
- A usage and attitudes (U&A) study shows how people use a category, what they believe about it, what drives their choices and what isn't working for them.
- Start with recent behavior and usage occasions (Q1 to Q5), then move to choice and brands (Q6 to Q8), and finish with attitudes, frustrations and unmet needs (Q9 to Q15).
- Connect behavior and attitude rather than reporting them separately, and use what people actually did to put what they say in context.
- Run it as 20 to 25 minute interviews with frequent, occasional and light users, recent adopters, former users and non-users of the category.
About this research
A usage and attitudes (U&A) study gives you a broad picture of how people engage with a category, and of the beliefs, needs, preferences and experiences that sit behind that behavior.
It helps teams move beyond "who buys what". You learn when people use the category, why they use it, how they choose, what they value, what frustrates them, and how attitudes differ across users.
Study at a glance
| Study type | Category usage and attitudes research |
|---|---|
| Method | Qualitative exploration or mixed-method |
| Average interview time | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Core questions | 15 |
| Best suited for | Consumer Insights, Marketing, Product, Brand, Innovation and Strategy teams |
When to run this study
Run U&A research when you need a broad understanding of a category. It also fits when you're entering a new market, developing a category strategy, exploring segmentation, identifying unmet needs, or trying to understand changing consumer behavior.
Who to interview
Recruit people with meaningful variation in category behavior. Depending on the objective, include frequent users, occasional users, light users, recent adopters, former users and category non-users.
What you’ll learn
- How people use the category
- Usage occasions
- Frequency and routines
- Needs and motivations
- How people choose between options
- Brand repertoires
- Category attitudes and beliefs
- Friction and dissatisfaction
- Changes in behavior
- Unmet needs
Ready-to-use interview guide
15 questions, in the order to ask them. The numbers are the ones the table below refers to.
Tell me about the role [category] plays in your life today.
Think about the last few times you used or bought something from this category. Walk me through those occasions.
How often does [category] typically come up for you?
In what situations are you most likely to use or buy something from this category?
What are you usually trying to achieve when you use [category]?
What matters most to you when choosing between different options?
Which brands, products or alternatives do you currently use?
Do you tend to stick with one option or move between several?
Probe if they switch: What usually determines which one you choose on a particular occasion?
What do you generally like about the options available in this category today?
What tends to frustrate you or require more effort than you'd like?
Are there things people commonly say or believe about this category that you agree or disagree with?
Probe if needed: What has shaped your view?
Has the way you use or think about this category changed over time?
Probe if yes: What caused that change?
Are there situations where you could use something from this category but choose not to?
Probe if yes: What do you do instead?
Is there anything you wish existing options did better for you?
If you could change one thing about the category overall, what would make the biggest difference to your experience?
Copy all 15 questions as plain text.
What this study can derive
| Research output | What it can tell you | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Category usage map | How frequently, when and in what contexts people engage with the category | Q1–Q4 |
| Needs and motivation framework | What people are trying to accomplish through category usage | Q2, Q4–Q5 |
| Choice drivers | What influences selection between products, brands and alternatives | Q6–Q8 |
| Brand and product repertoire | Which options people use and how they move between them | Q7–Q8 |
| Category attitude map | Beliefs, perceptions and experiences shaping attitudes toward the category | Q9–Q12 |
| Barriers and substitution behavior | What prevents category usage and what people choose instead | Q10, Q13 |
| Unmet needs and opportunity areas | Needs that current category options don't adequately address | Q10, Q13–Q15 |
How to analyze the interviews
A U&A study should connect behavior and attitude, rather than reporting them separately. Look for:
- What people do
- When they do it
- Why they do it
- What they believe
- What influences choice
- What isn't working
Pay particular attention to contradictions. Someone might say "Brand doesn't matter to me." But when you reconstruct their last five purchases, they may have chosen the same brand every time. So use actual behavior to put stated attitudes in context.
Researcher’s notes
- Avoid: Don't let U&A become a giant "ask everything" questionnaire. Every question should ultimately help explain category behavior.
- Do: Start with actual recent behavior before moving into broader attitudes.
- Do: For large-scale U&A studies, use interviews to discover the dimensions that matter. A later quantitative survey can then establish prevalence and support segmentation. More broadly, mixed methods can combine qualitative explanation with quantitative validation at scale.
Related
Questions people ask about usage and attitudes research
What is a usage and attitudes (U&A) study?
A usage and attitudes (U&A) study is research that gives a broad picture of how people engage with a category. It covers when and why they use it, how they choose between options, what they value and what frustrates them. It also shows the beliefs and needs behind that behavior, and how attitudes differ across users.
How many questions should a U&A interview have?
This template uses 15 core questions in a 20 to 25 minute interview. The first five cover the role the category plays, recent occasions, frequency, situations and what people are trying to achieve. The rest cover choice, brands, likes and frustrations, beliefs, changes over time and unmet needs.
When should you run a U&A study?
Run one when you need a broad understanding of a category. It also fits when you're entering a new market, developing a category strategy, exploring segmentation, identifying unmet needs or trying to understand changing consumer behavior.
What is a common mistake in U&A research?
Letting it grow into a giant "ask everything" questionnaire. Every question should help explain category behavior. Another is taking stated attitudes at face value. Someone may say brand doesn't matter yet choose the same brand every time, so read what people say against what they actually did.