--- title: 1. Should you sign an NDA for a Discovery interview? description: You don't need--or even want--an NDA. But your customer may. --- [Skip to content](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/1.-should-you-sign-an-nda-for-a-discovery-interview#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![AIM-logo-white.png\]](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AIM-logo-white.png?height=40&name=AIM-logo-white.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - Contact us Contact us BlueHelp® Knowledge Center - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [BLUE HELP](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en?hsLang=en) 2. [Discovery Interviews (Step 2)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en) 3. [How to handle confidential info in an interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-handle-confidential-info-in-an-interview) # 1. Should you sign an NDA for a Discovery interview? ## You don't need--or even want--an NDA. But your customer may. In many industries, it’s common practice to cover supplier-customer discussions under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). And this is especially true if technical people are meeting from each side. This is done to protect intellectual property in situations such as these: - ![](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-148.png?width=300&name=image-148.png)A clever technical idea arises from the discussion. Later, without good documentation, conflict could arise as the supplier and customer try to sort out who “owns” this idea. - For an idea to patentable, it must be useful, non-obvious and novel (new to the world.) If the supplier’s idea is discussed without an NDA, the idea becomes part of the public domain, and is therefore no longer “novel” and patentable. But if you are conducting a Discovery interview, do *you* need an NDA to protect yourself? No, because you’re going to stay strictly in “outcome space,” not “solution space.” Even if the customer offers a solution, you’ll ask, “What would that do for you?”... to quickly move back into outcome space. So your preference should be to conduct the Discovery interview *without* an NDA... to avoid slowing the process down engaging lawyers, getting approvals, etc. But what if your customer wants an NDA? We'll cover ways to handle this in the next BlueHelp article, [*How to handle customer requests for an NDA*](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/2.-how-to-handle-customer-requests-for-an-nda?hsLang=en).   Keywords: NDA, non-disclosure agreement, CDA, confidential disclosure agreement, lawyer, legal, patent, novel, outcome space, solution space, secret information, confidential information - [Blueprinting Center & Methodology](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#main-content) - [What is New Product Blueprinting?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-is-new-product-blueprinting) - [How is Blueprinting learned and applied?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-is-blueprinting-learned-and-applied) - [Blueprinting Center](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#blueprinting-center) - [Blueprinting E-Learning Course](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#blueprinting-e-learning-course) - [How can I become Certified in New Product Blueprinting?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-can-i-become-certified-in-new-product-blueprinting) - [How does Blueprinting fit with a stage-and-gate process?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-a-stage-and-gate-process) - [How does Blueprinting fit with strategic planning?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-strategic-planning) - [How does Blueprinting fit with Design Thinking?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-design-thinking) - [How does Blueprinting fit with Lean Startup?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-lean-startup) - [How does Blueprinting fit with Minesweeper de-risking?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-minesweeper-de-risking) - [How does Blueprinting fit with LaunchStar product launch?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-launchstar-product-launch) - [What innovation metrics should we use?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-innovation-metrics-should-we-use) - [What is "Jobs-to-be-Done?"](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-is-jobs-to-be-done) - [Project Teams](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#project-teams) - [Blueprinter® Software](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting Started](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#getting-started) - [FAQs / General Questions](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#faqs-general-questions) - [Step 1](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-1) - [Step 2](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-2) - [Step 3](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-3) - [Step 4](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-4) - [Step 5](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-5) - [Software Security and Setup](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#software-security-and-setup) - [Blueprinting Executive Dashboard](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#blueprinting-executive-dashboard) - [Technical Issues](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#technical-issues) - [Blueprinter Updates](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#blueprinter-updates) - [Update Archive](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#update-archive) - [Market Segmentation (Step 1)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to conduct secondary market research](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-secondary-market-research) - [How to engage industry experts](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#how-to-engage-industry-experts) - [How to segment markets](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#how-to-segment-markets) - [How to select your target market segment](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#how-to-select-your-target-market-segment) - [“How B2B” is your market segment?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/market-segmentation-step-1?hsLang=en#how-b2b-is-your-market-segment) - [Discovery Interviews (Step 2)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to plan Discovery interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-plan-discovery-interviews) - [Preparing your interview team](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#preparing-your-interview-team) - [Convincing customers to be interviewed](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#convincing-customers-to-be-interviewed) - [How to handle confidential info in an interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-handle-confidential-info-in-an-interview) - [How to conduct a Discovery interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-discovery-interview) - [Finding & using a digital projector for interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#finding-using-a-digital-projector-for-interviews) - [How to conduct a customer tour](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-customer-tour) - [How to debrief & follow-up a Discovery interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-debrief-follow-up-a-discovery-interview) - [Engaging your sales colleagues in interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#engaging-your-sales-colleagues-in-interviews) - [Engaging distributors in interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#engaging-distributors-in-interviews) - [Interviewing customers down the value chain](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#interviewing-customers-down-the-value-chain) - [How to interview remotely with web-conferences](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-interview-remotely-with-web-conferences) - [How to interview at trade shows & other venues](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-interview-at-trade-shows-other-venues) - [Interviewing in different global cultures & languages](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#interviewing-in-different-global-cultures-languages) - [How to listen well during customer interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-listen-well-during-customer-interviews) - [How to probe during customer interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-probe-during-customer-interviews) - [How to gather economic data during interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-gather-economic-data-during-interviews) - [How to create & use Current State questions](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-create-use-current-state-questions) - [How to identify Must Haves (MH)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-identify-must-haves-mh) - [How to select Top Picks (TP)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-select-top-picks-tp) - [How to use Trigger Maps](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-use-trigger-maps) - [How to form Outcome Statements](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-form-outcome-statements) - [Preference Interviews (Step 3)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to prepare for Preference interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-prepare-for-preference-interviews) - [How to schedule Preference interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-schedule-preference-interviews) - [How to conduct a Preference interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-preference-interview) - [How to analyze your Preference data](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-analyze-your-preference-data) - [How to build your Market Case](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-build-your-market-case) - [Rest of Blueprinting (Steps 4-7)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to build & use a value calculator](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#how-to-build-use-a-value-calculator) - [Blueprinting Step 4: Side-by-side testing](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-4-side-by-side-testing) - [Blueprinting Step 5: Product Objectives](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-5-product-objectives) - [Blueprinting Step 6: Technical Brainstorming](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-6-technical-brainstorming) - [Blueprinting Step 7: Business Case](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-7-business-case) - [Everyday VOC](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#main-content) - 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Brainstorm Assumptions](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-1-brainstorm-assumptions) - [Step 2. Consumption Chain](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-2-consumption-chain) - [Step 3. Individual Ratings](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-3-individual-ratings) - [Step 4. Team Ratings](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-4-team-ratings) - [Step 5. Review Certainty Matrix](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-5-review-certainty-matrix) - [Step 6. CheckPoint Plan](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-6-checkpoint-plan) - [Step 7. 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