Interviewing

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Purpose Gathering information from others by asking questions Problems: –Knowledge is power –People may be just concerned with presenting themselves in the best possible light –Tendency to try to please the questioner Give the answers they think the interviewer wants to hear Visual clues may help to check the truth –No eye contact –Blushing –Start to perspire –Speech becomes hesitant –...

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the interview What information is needed What is the best way of finding it

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - what information Information gathering –From documents –Some broad understanding of the problem to solve, system to build –The more background information, the better and deeper the questioning will be

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - Who Identify the holders of the information –The system owners - in case of a system need to be (re-)developed Head of department in which the system will be used, the system is developed... There are the decision makers –You need their consent They have an overview of the situation –Knows about long-term plans, company strategies Gate keepers: you may only be allowed to other personnel through them –Can inform you about who are the key-information holders

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - Who to interview –Information holders May be anywhere in the organization –But are likely at the bottom of the hierarchy Often to be identified by their post in the organization –However information may also be in unexpected places –System users User-centered design –Requirements of the users are important Different user classes may have conflicting views –Take representatives of different user classes

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - Aims & Objectives Setting aims and objectives Steps involved: –Issue review Establish the reasons for using the interview technique –E.g. not enough information through documents –Set out the aims that the interviews will help to achieve Ex. Find all information about the actual procedures used in the company

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - Aims & Objectives(2) Steps involved (cont.): –Establish the specific objectives of each interview Ex. 1. To identify which procedures are used by the interviewee 2. To ascertain in detail how the procedures work 3. To identify the interviewee’s opinion about the procedures used 4. To identify deviations of actual procedures from the theoretical ones Try to find criteria that can tell what objectives have been achieved Ex. –Do I know all the procedures used by the interviewee –Can I replicate each one in detail –...

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Preparing the Interview - Aims & Objectives(2) Steps involved (cont.): –Set out the methods that will be used during the interview See later E.g. standard questionnaire, ask for a demonstration, … –Review your performance What did you do well and what not? And why ? What did you not achieved? Why? Was the timing well?

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Setting up the Interview Make an appointment Avoid need for canceling the appointment, –if so do it personally If not possible give a message and have a personal contact as soon as possible Time –Reserve double of the time you think you will need

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Setting up the Interview (2) Place –The ideal interview room : Comfortable, well lit, pleasantly ventilated, few visual or aural distraction Standard office: ok but always redirect telephone calls The workplace is not appropriate –People will work in the first place –Interruptions, no concentration

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer The context –The interviewee needs to know in advance the purpose of the interview the status of the interviewer what information may be provide (security) the areas that questions will cover E.g. by a memo from the boss Setting up the Interview (3)

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Recording and transcription Why? –For recording information needed to prepare the report of the interview(s) –To allow the interviewee to check the recording afterwards Ask for permission How: –Tape recorders: Some people don’t like it –Malfunction –Pen and paper Interviewer has to write and think at the same time Standard forms may be useful

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer What Questions Closed question “Do you have a computer?” –Answer is YES or NO –Information result is limited by the knowledge of the interviewer Open questions “What sort of computer to you want?” –Give new information –May be time consuming and difficult to quantity –Need to be specified at the right level, e.g. “Tell me everything about the company” is too broad

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Multiple choice questions “Which is most important to you, the response time or the ability to store all data?” Portmanteau questions “Do you find that the response time is insufficient or it the layout of the screen badly designed, leading you to make errors, or is the problem one of entering data in the wrong areas over a long period of time?” –Too many questions together –The interviewee don’t know which to answer or even to remember them all.

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Leading questions “Wouldn’t you agree that the this system is far too slow?” –Give no information, usually the answer will be yes –Are closed questions with one answer (yes) –Not appropriated for interviews Non questions “If we consider the installation of a new system, the we could solve a lot of the problems?” –A statement instead of a question.

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Listening Positive listening –Giving oneself over completely to the speaker Frequently we are guilty of partial listening –Because we pick up messages from elsewhere –Because we think the speaker cannot have anything of interest –Because we think we already know what the speaker is saying –Because we get bored if the message is simple or poorly constructed (not all interviewees have good communication skills) –Encouraging the speaker to give all information

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Reflective listening –Reformulate what has been said “What you said is …” “You seem to feel that …” –Is different from an interpretation!.

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer DON’T –Make early assumptions about the content of the interview –Be mislead by early impressions, prejudices or stereotypes –Interrupt the speaker –Allow yourself emotional responses –Lose patience with slow or poor communicators –Use apparent listening DO –Listen to what is actually said, not what you thought was said –Listen for key issues, not merely facts –Take notes –Empathize with the speaker –Keep as much eye contact as possible –Use non-verbal communication to show interest

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer The interview itself Begin with a general introduction –To yourself –To the interview Subject, purpose Length agenda “Good morning, my name is Janet Smith from Optimal Solutions, you may have had a memo about me from the managing director. …” –The interviewee may ask for some clarifications

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer The interview itself (2) The preliminary set of questions –Questions drawn up for the information gathered during the preparation of the interview To confirm what you already know –Closed questions may be appropriate Ex: “Is this the procedure that is used to ship an order?”

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer The probing stage –Questions that seek for information (opinions and views) rather than data –How, when, where, what, who and why “You tell me that when you enter the data on the screen you also make a note on paper. Can you tell me why you are doing this?” –You may use Reflecting questions Echo back a key word or phrase to the interviewee “Inefficient? Can you tell me in what way?” Unfinished statement Interviewee is invited to finish the statement “Then this system is ” Silence –Gives chance for thought and reflection –Can put pressure on the interviewee to reply

© Prof. Dr. Olga De Troyer Bad Interview Most interviewees are ready to help if it will solve their problems and make life easier. –If they feel the intervention will lead to staff reduction or to unpleasant change you may expect resistance Preliminary conversation allows to judge the mood and attitude of the other person Possible behavior and reactions –Blocking: work on the interviewee professionalism and feeling of self-worth –Interrupting: re-phrase the question, use reflective technique –Attacking:do not respond to the attack –Disagreement: take notes but don’t make judgements