The timeline Ongoing Event 2 experience Event 1 Buying Satisfaction Passive Active Deciding Consuming looking looking Creating a timeline of events helps bring the interviewee back through their purchase journey. We’ve discovered for software purchases, there are often multiple timelines at work. In the past, we’ve started interviews with the objective of uncovering why a company switched from Tool A > Tool B. We actually ended up with two timelines; one relating to the reasons why a company moved from Tool A > Tool B and then from Tool B > Tool C. Once again, this is down to there being numerous people involved in the decision to buy software. You’re really looking for the right people to talk to, the main decision maker. There are so many times you’ll hear: “I wasn’t at when we bought but I’m the main person who uses it!” 17