One in Every Minyan

I have some new characters (in Dani and Avi's universe) whom I need to develop, and so I need to do what I always do -- "interview" them. A number of years ago, a friend pointed me to a compendium of questions that one can ask one's characters, and that's how I tend to do new character development. It sounds odd, sure, but it works for me. :-)

But that made me wonder how other people do character development. Do you just write and see where the character takes you? Free writing with a focus on the character (if that can be called true free writing)? Something else entirely?