Determining the purpose.

• What could the researcher say in the beginning to clarify the purpose?
  • Recall that the researcher began with, "So you're a project manager here at High Tech Corp.?"

    The researcher/interviewer would probably want to start with something like, "Hello. I'm Apple Green. You must be Grape Purple, one of the project managers at High Tech Corp." Then the interviewer would wait for the interviewee to respond, before saying, "Let me explain the purpose of this interview. . . . Also, here's how I'll be using this information. . . ."

  • Consider this exchange:
    Researcher: Let me set my tape recorder on your desk. Where's the nearest outlet?

    Project Manager: You're taping this interview?

    Researcher: Yeah, I tape all my interviews. I already cleared it with your supervisor.

    Project Manager: Oh, okay.

    Although it is useful and often necessary to audiotape (and sometimes videotape) an interview, the interviewer must explain how this fits in with the interview's purpose. So the interviewer might say something such as, "I want to be sure that my report is as accurate as possible. With your permission, I'd like to audiotape this interview."

• The researcher's questions also seem to follow no particular pattern. The project manager then controls the direction of the interview. For example:
  Project Manager: Although I didn't have medical insurance, and that was a problem.

  Researcher: So, High Tech has a good benefits package?

  Project Manager: Yeah, retirement, medical, vision, dental. Six weeks of vacation plus 10 personal or sick days.

  The researcher could easily obtain information about benefits from the company's personnel office.

• How does the project manager contribute to the confusion?
  • During the interview, the project manager looked at her/his watch, then later abruptly stated, "Speaking of which, I have to get back to work." At the onset of the interview, the interviewee needed to make clear that s/he had only a certain amount of time for the interview.

  • The interviewee's purpose, telling the interviewer about the journey to High Tech, became clear after researcher asked, "What did you do before that?" Here we can see how an ambiguous question resulted in information that the interviewer probably didn't want.

  • The interviewee also goes off-track in this exchange:
    Researcher: What do you like about being a project manager at High Tech?

    Project Manager: I like the people I work with, although I do miss doing freelance work. Then I could be my own boss. I set my own deadlines, went on vacation when I wanted. Although I didn't have medical insurance, and that was a problem.

    The project manager's answer focuses primarily on what s/he liked about freelance work, rather than addressing the question, "What do you like about being a project manager at High Tech?"

• What would you do differently as the interviewer?
  • Identify information that can be gained from other sources, such as the organization's annual report, the business section of the newspaper, and more general reports on high tech corporations and project teams in magazines and journals.

  • Lay the groundwork for the interview's purpose in the initial contact, either by telephone or email. At that time, explain how and why the project manager was chosen for the interview. State the reason for the interview and what will be done with the information. At this time, it's also useful to explain the need for audiotaping and request permission to tape the interview.

  • Determine how the information will be used. How will you report on the information? Who is the audience? Are there multiple audiences?

  • Prepare a list of possible questions before the interview, checking to be sure that each question is related to the interview's purpose.

• What would you do differently as the interviewee?
  • In the initial contact, state how much time you have available for the interview.

  • Ask why you were chosen for the interview and how the information is to be used.

  • If there seems to be a conflict between interviewee and interviewer goals, attempt to negotiate the interview's format and structure so that all reasonable goals can be accommodated.

  • Listen carefully to each question and provide relevant answers to those questions.