Dig Deeper with Structured Interviews

When we think of information, we often think of numbers, data, maybe even statistical methods that can help us assess the numbers. This kind of quantitative information is critical to leading and managing organizations and work units. But there is another kind of information, more qualitative in nature, which is also very valuable in research and development, decision making, and process improvement. It consists of the perceptions, insights, and context gained from direct conversation with individuals, and one of the most effective Listening Posts for collecting this information is Structured Interviews.

Looking Beyond the Numbers: Structured Interviews reveal this added layer of information by leveraging the dialogue that is possible between the interviewer and interviewee to pursue specific trains of thought, obtain detailed explanations or descriptions, and learn about context and considerations. They differ from Focus Groups, another excellent qualitative information Listening Post, in that the interviewer has more time and freedom to follow an individual train of thought and delve deeper into each specific interviewee’s perspective without others influencing their thinking.

Application Examples: Because they can yield context and understanding, Structured Interviews are used in a wide range of applications including survey design, process improvement, issue refinement, stakeholder analysis, and implementation planning, just to name a few. Here are some more specific examples of how I have used Structured Interviews for clients:

>   As part of an Organizational Assessment in the early stages of Strategic Plan development, I interviewed community stakeholders about the mission, reputation, and collaboration potential of my client.

>   As part of a “Readiness Assessment” prior to an organizational restructuring, I interviewed the employees of two merging Departments regarding current responsibilities and interests.

>   As part of a Benchmarking project, we used Structured Interviews to learn more about the best practices of another high performing organization for possible adaptation by the client organization.

Preparation is Key: Structured interviews work best when there has been thorough preparation, especially in two ways:

1.  Defining the Research Objectives: This includes a detailed description of what information would be helpful as well as how it will be used.

2.  Development of an Interview Guide: Key components include background statement, disclosures & confidentiality, key questions, anticipated / likely follow-up question opportunities, and closing.

Clear Research Objectives and a thorough Interview Guide will also drive the approach used to analyze and report the findings.

These two features comprise the “structured” part of Structured Interviews. The more the interviewer understands specifically what the client wants to learn and how the information will be applied, the better. This may lead you to believe that Structured Interviews are best performed by someone internal to the organization with detailed knowledge of the project or topic of interest. This may be true in some cases, but often, there are advantages of using an external interviewer. These include:

-    Less “bias” and more questions that may be otherwise overlooked based on incorrect “assumptions”.

-    Stronger interview skills and/or more interviewing experience.

-    A tendency for interviewees to be more open and candid with an independent party.

If you have a need to build a deeper understanding...to go beyond what numbers or standardized reports can provide, contact me at your convenience. We can discuss the possible use of Structured Interviews or any number of other Listening Posts that would best fit your needs.

Jeff