1. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Lecture Data Collection

2. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Objectives By the end of this lecture the student should – Understand the different approaches to Fact Finding Understand sampling and why its importance Understand what constitutes hard data Appreciate the need for different techniques: Interviewing/Questionnaires/Observation

3. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Approaches to Fact Finding Main approaches used are – –Investigating Documents (Hard Data) –Interviewing –Questionnaires –Observation Analyst must decide –What data should be gathered? –What approach should be used?

4. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Sampling Systematic selection of representative elements of a population Typical Decisions –There are many reports, forms, documents and memos in an organisation relating to a system –There are many employees affected by planned system

5. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Sampling Design There are 4 steps – –1 Determine the data to be collected or described –2 Determine the population to be sampled –3 Choose the type of sample –4 Decide on the sample size

6. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Choosing SampleType Not based on Probability – –Selection without restrictions: Convenience –Selection according to specific criteria: Purposive Based on Probability –Selection without restrictions: Simple Random –Selection according to specific criteria: Complex Random

7. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Investigating Documents (Hard Data) Type of data found – –Quantitative –Qualitative

8. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Interviewing Definition of an Interview “Any planned and controlled conversation between two (or more) which has a purpose for a least one of the participants, and during which both speak and listen from time to time.” An Effective Interview must have – –Purpose –Planning –Controlled Interaction

9. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Interviewing There are six steps in interviewing – –1 Read background material and establish interviewing objectives –2 Decide who to interview –3 Prepare the Interview –4 Carry out the Interview –5 Prepare written report –6 Review with interviewee

10. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Six Common Types Of Interview Statements of –Description – provide formal information –Knowledge – passing on information possessed –Behaviour – defines behaviour of interviewee –Attitude and Belief – subjective; represents evaluation and opinions –Feelings – reveals physical/emotional state –Value – conveys long-standing belief system

11. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Planning An Interview Why? –What broad type of interview is it? –What exactly do we hope to accomplish? –Are you seeking or giving information? –If so, What type? –Is the interview seeking to change beliefs/behaviour? –What is the nature of the problem to be solved?

12. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Planning An Interview Who? –What are the likely reactions/objections? –Can they make the decisions you require? What? –Determine the topics to be covered and the questions to be asked.

13. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Planning An Interview Where and When? –Where will the interview take place? –Is it likely to be interrupted? –What time of day? –What is likely to happen just before the interview? –What stage have you reached? –Will a full introduction to the subject be required?

14. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Planning An Interview How? –How will you accomplish your objective? –How should you behave? –Do you begin with general questions? –How are you going to arrange the furniture? –How can you prevent interruptions?

15. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Structuring an interview Summarise the problem Explain how you discovered the problem Suggest a possible advantage to the interviewee Refer to the background, cause/origin of the problem State the organisation/group you represent Ask a question

16. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Structuring an interview Different types of interview –Non-structured –Moderately structured –Highly structured –Highly structured/standardised

17. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills How to Question and to Probe Direct or closed-ended questions Bipolar or yes/no questions Leading or standard revealing questions Loaded questions (value laden)

18. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills How to Question and to Probe Open-ended questions Prompting question Mirror questions Probing question Hypothetical question

19. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills How to Question and to Probe Sequencing questions Closing the interview

20. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Questionnaires Can be used in conjunction with interviews –Can be used to focus in on problem areas to consider in interviews –Can be used to test out opinions uncovered in interviews Written format, should consider – –logical presentation –ordering of questions –consistent style –use of ‘white space’

21. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Questionnaires Based on written questions and responses –Use mixture of open and closed questions –Effort should be made to use scales; even when open questions are used –Questions must be valid and reliable

22. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Observation Observation reveals – –Activities –Information Sharing –Task Interaction –Social Characteristics of Organisation

23. University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 9 Professionalism and Personal Skills Summary Understand the different approaches to Fact Finding Understand sampling and why its importance Understand what constitutes hard data Appreciate the need for different techniques: Interviewing/Questionnaires/Observation