Conducting an Interview

1
Conducting an Interview

• An Introduction

2
The Interview an Introduction

• The interview is
• a technique to collect information from
  respondents
• interactive, verbal, real time contact
• used as a first step in collecting information
  for a needs analysis
• a survey research method for making personal
  contacts with people

3
The Interview an Introduction

• The interview
• Involves sharing ideas, engaging in a dialogue,
  and problem-solving.
• Provides a way to obtain peripheral information
  that may be linked directly or indirectly to the
  causes and effects associated with an analysis
  goal (McClelland, 1995).

4
The Interview an Introduction

• Interview techniques can be classified into two
  types
• face-to-face
• telephone interviews

Linked to slides of advantages and limitations
5
Purposes of Conducting Interviews

• The interview as a needs analysis tool is useful
  in collecting relevant information in
  face-to-face meetings or over the telephone.

6
Purposes of Conducting Interviews

• To provide in-depth narrative information.
• To encourage respondents to talk about
• feelings,
• attitudes,
• and opinions

7
Purposes of Conducting Interviews

• In a systematic needs analysis, interviews can
  be used
• To provide information to develop the questions
  for a written survey questionnaire
• As a stand-alone method for producing information
  for subsequent analysis or,

8
Purposes of Conducting Interviews

• in conjunction with other data-gathering methods
  in order to correlate and validate information
  obtained through multiple data gathering methods.

9
Types of Interviews

• There are three types of interviews that are
  applicable for gathering needs analysis
  information
• Structured
• Semi-structured
• Unstructured
• The depth and extent of information and feedback
  being sought for a particular needs analysis will
  determine which type to use.

10
Types of Interviews

• Structured interviews are similar to written
  questionnaires
• they utilize a set of fixed questions with fixed
  response categories covering a specific area or
  topic.
• They work well when the goals of the needs
  analysis are clear.
• The questions can only be constructed after the
  needs analyst knows something about the
  performance problem or business opportunity

11
Types of Interviews

• Structured interviews are similar to written
  questionnaires
• Structured interview questions are concise and
  singularly address the issue at hand.
• Depending upon the desired depth and degree of
  information being sought, structured interviews
  normally last no longer than fifteen to twenty
  minutes (McClelland, 1995)

12
Advantages and Limitations of Conducting
Interviews

• An interview is seldom used as the only method
  to gather needs analysis information. An
  interview is useful to use BEFORE developing a
  questionnaire or to validate information obtained
  through other methods.

13
Advantages and Limitations of Conducting
Interviews

• BEST USES of interviews ask for the following
  types of information
• Finding Optimals
• what they think ought to be going on
• how the organization should work
• what they know based on personal experience

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Advantages and Limitations of Conducting
Interviews

• BEST USES of interviews ask for the following
  types of information
• Finding Actuals
• details of how employees are/are not performing
• the way the organization is operating
• whether they perceive problem/opportunity

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Advantages and Limitations of Conducting
Interviews

• BEST USES of interviews ask for the following
  types of information.
• Finding Feelings
• how respondents feel
• how they think others feel
• confidence with the interview topic
• whether they like/dislike the topic

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Advantages and Limitations of Conducting
Interviews

• BEST USES of interviews ask for the following
  types of information.
• Finding Cause(s) what is causing the problem
• Finding Solution(s) ideas on how to solve a
  problem or initiate a business opportunity
• (from Rossett, 1987, p. 137)

17
Five Steps in Conducting an Interview

• Determine the objectives of the interview
• Prepare for the interview
• Carry out the interview
• Conclude the interviewing process
• Compile and analyze results

18
Determine the Objectives of the Interview

• Are you looking for information about
• Optimal performance?
• Actual performance problems?
• Feelings about performance?
• Solutions to performance problems?
• Business opportunities and barriers to
  implementing them?

19
Determine the Objectives of the Interview

• Draft objectives for the interview using standard
  terms, keeping them clear, direct, and short.
• Share the objectives with the champions of the
  needs analysis initiative for their review and
  comments.
• Finalize the objectives.

20
Prepare for the Interview

• Clarify and make decisions concerning the
  following
• The specific purposes of the interview
• The population or sample or respondents
• Develop a protocol or script to help in carrying
  out the interviews.

21
Prepare for the Interview

• Draft an opening statement explaining the
  purposes of the interview clarifying the target
  group of the study and the uses to be made of the
  information to be collected
• Indicate the estimated time that will be needed
• Provide an explanation concerning issues of
  confidentiality

22
Carry Out the Interview

• Open the interview.
• Introduce yourself (interviewer) to the
  respondent
• Start with a friendly smile and a few interesting
  remarks to enhance communications and form a
  favorable relationship
• Give detailed explanations to the respondent
  about the purposes and structure of the interview
• Assure the respondent about confidentiality

23
Conduct the Interview

• DO NOT dominate the conversation
• encourage the respondent to talk as much as
  possible
• avoid interrupting
• do not argue
• avoid stating your own opinions

24
Conduct the Interview

• Aim your questions at the required information
  however, allow the respondent to follow his/her
  own line of thought
• Show that the views expressed are understood and
  taken seriously

25
Conduct the Interview

• Use the interview to supplement information
  already obtained
• identify and investigate any inconsistencies
• ask specific questions to allow for quantitative
  responses
• distinguish hard facts from opinion

26
Conduct the Interview

• When questions are answered vaguely, pursue them
  in a pleasant way until they are fully clarified.
• When the respondent is too theoretical,
  conceptual, or uses jargon
• you do not understand -- ask for concrete
  examples and explanations

27
Conduct the Interview

• Refrain from asking strong, direct questions too
  early in the interview.
• Begin by building upon information already
  available or use closed-ended questions which are
  not provoking
• Open-ended questions are more useful in the
  middle and end of the interviewing process after
  rapport has been established and the respondent
  has gotten into the flow of the interview

28
Conclude the Interviewing Process

• Stop the interviewing process when you begin to
  hear the same information from several
  respondents.
• For a homogeneous group of respondents, after 4
  to 6 interviews, you will begin to notice much
  redundancy in what you are hearing
• When you continue to hear the same or similar
  responses with 2 or three more interviews and
  nothing new is being learned, stop the
  interviewing process

29
Conclude the Interviewing Process

• Follow-up with any respondents to get further
  clarification or needed data.
• Remember NEVER betray the trust and confidence
  of those you interviewed.
• Organize your notes and data you collected to
  conceal the identity of the respondents
• Check over your notes to remove information that
  would overtly identify a particular respondent

30
Compile and Analyze Results

• Choose appropriate data analysis procedures given
  the nature of the data collected.
• For quantitative data, use descriptive statistics
  and graphically depict the numbers or percentages
• For qualitative data that need further judgments
  or comparisons by subject matter experts,
  consider using an affinity diagram and a fishbone
  diagram
• For qualitative data that needs to be compared
  and contrasted, use the document analysis process
  to analyze the data

31
Compile and Analyze Results

• Through the analysis process, develop and report
• Numbers and percentages
• Consistent themes and ideas
• Key differences and disagreements

32
Use the Telephone to

• Seek general information from people about a
  project.
• Seek information about a straightforward point or
  two.
• Get an initial response to things in general.
• Get information from many people.

33
Use the Telephone to

• Confirm the support of people already committed
  to the project.
• Nurture an already established and on-going
  working relationship with respondents.
• Touch-base with people with little or no
  influence on the success of the process or
  outcomes of the project.

34
Use the Telephone to
Save money.
35
Interview face-to-face to

• Discuss in-depth information about a project.
• Discuss difficult, complex, or controversial
  subject matter.
• Look at information which must be illustrated.

36
Interview face-to-face to

• Get information from a few key individuals.
• Enlist support from distressed or opposed
  respondents.
• Establish rapport with and gain the confidence
  of people who have not been respondents.

37
Interview face-to-face to

• Garner support from people critical to the
  success of the process or outcomes of the
  project.
• When the costs associated with a problem are
  high.

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Types of Interview Questions

• Structured ?

• Similar to closed-ended questions in
  questionnaires in that they utilize a set of
  known questions dealing with a specific area or
  topic.

39
Types of Interview Questions

• Semi-structured ?

• Questions that offer a fixed set of response
  choices but leave one or more unrestricted
  responses to answer in respondents own words

40
Types of Interview Questions

• Unstructured ?

• Open-ended questions to gather a depth of
  information for broad and non-specific topics.

41
Advantages of Face-to-Face Interviews

• Interviewer can clarify unclear or ambiguous
  questions for the respondents.
• Interviewer can gain insight and ideas from
  respondents through spontaneous and unexpected
  responses.

42
Advantages of Face-to-Face Interviews

• Interviewer can observe nonverbal cues such as
  body language to catch a respondents feelings.
• Interviewer can change the tone and style of the
  interview questions to match the individual
  conversation styles of various respondents.

43
Limitations of Face-to-Face Interviews

• Respondents may get distracted due to
  interviewers note-taking.
• Respondents may doubt the confidentiality of
  their answers, and may not answer truthfully.
• An expensive type of survey method given that it
  is time consuming to survey many people.

44
Advantages of Telephone Interviews

• Interviewer can clarify unclear or ambiguous
  question for respondents.
• Respondents are more relaxed with an unfamiliar
  interviewer. The more relaxed respondents are,
  the more truthful their answers tend to be.

45
Advantages of Telephone Interviews

• Interviewer can use scripted questions and notes
  can be taken without distracting respondents.
• Fast way to collect information and less
  expensive than face-to-face interviews.

46
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Interviewer has little opportunity to loosen up
  the respondents small talk doesnt work well
  over the telephone.

47
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Interviewer cannot use respondents body language
  to determine their overall responses
• in answering questions.
• Scope of questioning is limited. Respondents
  tire quickly and the interviewer doesnt have the
  opportunity to draw out thoughtful, insightful
  responses.

48
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Job Specific Information
• Activities and events that take place on the job
• Job achievements
• Work results

49
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Problems and Issues
• Problems on the job
• Ideas for performance improvement
• Causes and solutions for poor performance

50
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Respondents Perceptions and Feelings
• The most and least liked parts of the job
• Information about peoples experiences and
  behaviors
• Working relationships with co-workers, managers,
  and staff
• Work related values, attitudes, opinions, and
  preferences

51
Limitations of Telephone Interviews

• Personal Information
• Personal goals and interest in obtaining more
  knowledge and skills
• Work related habits and practices
• Biographical and background information

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Types of Information Sought Using Interviews

• Interview questions can be designed to gather the
  following types of information
• Job Specific Information
• Activities and events that take place on the job
• Job achievements
• Work results

53
Types of Information Sought Using Interviews

• Interview questions can be designed to gather the
  following types of information
• Problems and Issues
• Problems on the job
• Ideas for performance improvement
• Causes and solutions for poor performance

54
Types of Information Sought Using Interviews

• Interview questions can be designed to gather the
  following types of information
• Respondents Perceptions and Feelings
• The most and least liked parts of the job
• Information about peoples experiences and
  behaviors
• Working relationships with co-workers, managers,
• and staff
• Work related values, attitudes, opinions, and
  preferences

55
Types of Information Sought Using Interviews

• Interview questions can be designed to gather the
  following types of information
• Personal Information
• Personal goals and interest in obtaining more
  knowledge and skills
• Work related habits and practices
• Biographical and background information