1. Interview Toolkit
This Toolkit will provide you with the information and process for Interviewing individuals for Connect and Propel Tampa
These instructions are only for the use of authorized Interviewers.

2. Why are interviews important?
On November 4th-6th, we are holding a three-day summit with hundreds of Tampa’s voices represented and interacting, in a proven approach, to design a vision for Tampa together.
Eight hundred people will be present at the summit. The goal is to have over 5,000 voices interviewed and to share the results of these interviews at the summit so we can begin to talk about and work on what is important to our community, creating a North Star that allows us all to move in the same direction.
We will focus on being engaged community members to our neighbors next- door, in our community, in our city, across the Bay and throughout the region. Gathering these voices is the most important part of the process because it allows us to hear the community’s voice.

3. What is the interview process?
Each interview will take ten minutes or less.
The interviews need to include all people in our community – all zip codes, races, sexual orientations, backgrounds, disabilities, generations, etc.
Every interview is important, and we are asking you to track the person you interviewed with the same census information that was used in This information will only be used to ensure our interviews are a good representation of our community.
As an interviewer, you are an integral part of the process. Your work matters! Thank you for gathering the voices with us.
All interview information will be reported on in the aggregate and shared on our website. Your interviewees will have access to view it and we will keep you updated on our progress.

4. Toolkit Resources Toolkit includes:
This resource presentation to guide you through the process.
Sample Interview -
Otter Voice Notes - is available for both Android and Apple phones and will transcribe your conversation (70% accuracy rate) and give you the option to upload the voice and text file to through the app. Please be sure to say the word QUESTION BEFORE you read each QUESTION to make it easier for me to find the questions and remove them from the transcript.
for the portal for the Interview form

5. Brief Outline of the Invite Process

6. Interview Question Overview
The interview questions were designed by a team of experts in this process. They are intended to be appropriate for everyone. Since we are using this data in an aggregate form, please be sure to ask the questions exactly as they are listed. Opening Statement Connect & Propel Tampa 2019 is a gathering that aims to engage the diverse community of Tampa to discover, dream, design, and deliver our best future together.

7. Interview Question 1
I would like you to think about a time when you felt positively connected to our community? Tell me your story.
What was happening?
How did it make you feel?
What role did you play? What role did others play?
What was special about this experience?
What can we learn about creating connections within our community from your story?

8. Interview Question 2 What are your 3 favorite things about Tampa? 1.1. 2. 3.

9. Interview Question 3
Imagine that it is 2030 in Tampa and when people describe Tampa, they use phrases like it’s “the coolest hot place to be” or “the greatest place to live.” What’s happening in Tampa? What do you think people are describing?

10. Interviewee Options The Interviewee will have several options:
Fill out the Interview Form themselves, directly through the website, without interacting with our team
Ask to have a member of our team contact them and setup an interview
Meet members of our team at a designated location and interview with us in person

11. Interviewer Options The Interviewer has the following choices:
Record the interview on their cell phone using an app that converts the voice to text like Otter. Send the txt file to
Print a copy of the interview questions, hand write notes during the interview and later, type the answers into the form on our website
Bring a laptop, tablet or phone and type the answers directly into the Interview Form on our website, during the interview

12. Tips for Interviewing
Your task is to interview another person and draw out their story so that they relive not only the facts, but the “music” – the feelings, the energy, the excitement, and the color of their story.
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions! It is fine to help someone if they are drawing a blank, for example, by asking clarifying questions. If they don’t have an answer right away, allow them time to think of a related story. Amongst everyone participating, there will be a wide array of responses. Please be sure not to tell your story while listening to your partner.
Let the interviewee tell his/her story, please don’t tell yours or give your opinion about their experiences
Use probing questions to draw out the details of a person’s story. Some possible probing questions are:
Can you tell me more?
Why do you feel that way?
Why was that important to you?
How did that affect you?
What was your contribution?
Be genuinely curious about their experiences, thoughts and feelings.
Some people will take longer to think about their answers- allow for silence
Remember this is an “appreciative interview”- we want to hear about the times things were at their BEST. Steer the conversation to the positive at all times.