2. Agenda
2
Objective: Correct misconceptions and
tackle challenges of doing KIIs
• When and why to conduct KIIs
• Who makes a useful informant
• How to prepare for an interview
• How to obtain an interview
3. What Is a Key Informant Interview?
3
A key informant is someone
who can “unlock” information
for you about an issue or your
desired objective
An interview is a conversation
with a structure and a purpose
4. Purpose of a Key Informant Interview
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To get understanding of an issue or your desired
objective;
To capture the big picture
To get rich detail
To investigate the width
To test the depth
To determine the ranges & possibilities
5. What a Key Informant Interview Is Not
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A key informant interview is NOT
A questionnaire
An education / info session
An opportunity to convince him/her to support
your policy
6. What a Key Informant Interview Is
6
A key informant interview (KII) IS
A less structured in its nature primarily comprised
of open-ended questions where there are no
prescribed answers, the interviewer needs to be
adjusted to where to ask probing, follow-up
questions or pursue new leads in the conversation
7. Comparative questions
7
How were you approached by DRC?
Have you any plan to repatriate voluntarily?
How were you approached by DRC?
a. Shura Representative b. CDU c. Others
Have you any plan to repatriate voluntarily?
a. Yes, When ________ b. No, Why ____
8. When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
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Early in a campaign and/or near its end
• To explore information
(when you don’t know something)
• To confirm information
(when you want to assess what you did)
9. What Key Informant Interviews Can Do
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KIIs can help your project:
Get ideas for your strategy
Identify and gain access to key players
Develop relationships with stakeholders and info
sources
10. When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
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At the beginning of an intervention –
To inform the planning of your project about
The various positions on an issue
Potential barriers and challenges to achieving your
policy goal
Cultural considerations of a target population
How best to approach a particular stakeholder group
11. When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
11
After an intervention –
To gather process data to inform future actions
Learn how various stakeholders felt about
the program or policymaking process
Reflect on what worked/didn’t work,
why a policy was/wasn’t adopted,
particularly effective strategies,
ways to improve
12. Misconceptions about Using KIIs
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Misconception
o That you need to ask the same questions in both pre-
and post-intervention KIIs
Fact
Usually not, since KIIs are most often used to collect
process data about how and why things happened
13. How to Choose Informants
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Select people who will either:
• Be affected by the proposed policy
• Have the power to make policy decisions
• Possess unique perceptions/points of view OR
• Know a great deal about the issue
14. Who Makes a Good Informant
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Think about the informant’s role and what
you need to know
• Politicians/officials/their staff
• Service providers
• Community leaders
• Business owners
15. Who to Include in Your Sample
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Seek a variety of viewpoints –
• From constituents, allies, opponents, targets
• From people of differing job titles, characteristics,
positions on an issue
• Don’t just talk to likely supporters!
16. How to Approach a Key Informant
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Introduce
Yourself
Your organization
Your purpose
Convincing intro- why s/he as key informant
How much time you’ll need
Confidentiality and inform consent
17. Interview Scheduling Logistics
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Offer several different options for dat & time
State approximately how long the interview will
last
The day before the interview, send a reminder –
call/visit/email etc.
