These questions have been compiled over two decades of researching informational shows. They are my list of greatest hits. In addition to obvious "must-ask" questions, entries have been added to this list for either of two reasons:

• During a meeting, the question would typically start a client on a roll of useful information, prompt the client to view their situation from a fresh perspective or the client would simply say, "That's a good question."
• On the way back to the office, I would kick myself and ask, "Why didn't I ask _______? I would then add that critical unasked question to my list so that I would not forget it the next time.

In short, this is reference material; not to used "as is" but as a starting point for developing your own set of questions that are targeted for a specific project.
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How the Research Questions Are Structured
The research questions are arranged into the following groups:

• Who's the audience?
• What's the Problem?
• How must the audience think or behave differently to solve the problem?
• The Message
• Background Information
• How Will the Program Be Used?
• Who Will be Administering the Program?
• Production Details

The research questions are structured around the "Big Three" questions that are crucial to researching any presentation:

• What's the problem?
• Who's the audience?
• How must the audience think or behave differently to solve the problem?

This template is a compilation of questions for a variety of types of shows (training, marketing, motivation). In no situation would all of these questions be appropriate. In short, they are idea-starters intended to be used in preparation for a research interview. This preparation would include:

• Eliminating inappropriate questions
• Adding questions that are specific to this client's particular situation

Then go forth and appear brilliant before your client. There is no substitute for good preparation and this is the best headstart I know of for getting prepared.
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Quickly getting useable on-camera interviews is largely a function of asking the right questions. "Right" usually means open-ended questions that encourage respondents to talk about personal experiences and specific examples; while discouraging both the dreaded one-word answer and rambling generalities.
These are the questions that have proven most effective at getting respondents to talk about personal experiences rather than abstracts and to help ensure more useable interview footage.
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Most of these questions include an ellipsis (...) or a blank space. A few examples:

• What has been your greatest challenge while...
• What has been your greatest reward from...
• To what extent were your expectations about _______ met?
• What needs does _______ meet that can not be met by other means of _____?
• What's different about...

In short, they are examples to help you better understand the structure of a good open-ended questions and idea-starters to help you prepare. This preparation would include:

• Eliminating inappropriate questions
• Filling in the blanks and ellipses (...) with the specifics that are appropriate to your project
• Adding questions that are specific to this client's particular situation

Then go forth and extract spontaneous, credible and highly usable interviews from the mouths of non-professionals.