Unlocking AI Potential: The Ultimate Guide to Interviewing Domain Experts

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize industries, but the key to its success lies in understanding the problem it aims to solve. When developing AI solutions, it’s crucial to delve deep into the business outcomes and the challenges faced. This guide will equip you with essential questions and strategies for interviewing domain experts to ensure you’re on the path to creating impactful AI systems.

1. Focus on Real Experiences

When interviewing experts, asking about their actual experiences rather than their polished processes provides invaluable insights.

        Question: Tell me about the last time you did X (e.g., forecasted sales, planned shifts at an ice cream store).
    

This approach helps avoid the “ideal scenario” responses. Instead of receiving textbook answers, you get a realistic view of the challenges and workarounds used in practice, giving you a more accurate picture of where AI can add value.

2. Understand the Business Impact

Focusing on the business needs ensures that the AI solution developed will be actionable and valuable.

Question: How will you use the information provided by the AI?

By understanding how the data will be utilized, you can better align the AI solution with the intended business outcomes. This helps in prioritizing features and functionalities that drive the most significant impact.

3. Empathize with New Users

Veteran employees might not see the immediate need for AI assistance, but considering how new hires would benefit can provide clearer insights.

Question: How would the solution help your new colleague?

This question can elucidate the practical benefits of the AI solution by focusing on how it eases the onboarding process and operational hurdles for newer team members.

4. Challenge the Necessity of AI

Ensure that AI is the most appropriate solution by questioning its necessity.

Question: Why can’t you solve this problem in any other way than AI?

This critical inquiry can reveal whether AI is genuinely the best-fit solution or if it’s being chosen due to trendiness. Opting for AI should be a well-considered decision rather than a default one.

5. Identify Potential Failures

Predicting and preparing for possible failures can save substantial resources and guide more robust solution development.

Question: Why will this solution fail?

Anticipating potential obstacles encourages a realistic outlook and fosters preventive measures, enhancing the chances of success and sustainability.

6. Observe and Interact

Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. Observing how tasks are performed can unearth hidden insights.

Question: Show me how you do X.

Watching an expert perform their tasks can reveal unspoken nuances and habitual actions, informing more tailored and effective AI solutions.

7. Probe into Difficulties

Directly asking about challenges can highlight areas requiring additional attention or resources.

Question: What will be hard about (X, Y, Z)?

Responses to such questions can expose potential data inconsistencies, workflow bottlenecks, or other challenges that might not be immediately apparent, guiding more thorough planning and execution.

Final Thoughts: Encouraging Interaction and Feedback

Interviews with domain experts can make or break the success of your AI initiatives. By asking the right questions and truly understanding the business needs and challenges, you can develop AI solutions that are not only innovative but also deeply aligned with real-world applications. What questions have you found most effective in your interviews with domain experts? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below!