2. A Focus Interview is a confidential, one-on-one 90 minute structured
interview
Why do we conduct Focus Interviews?
Purpose
• Develop credibility through providing insight
quickly:
– Strengths and weaknesses of the
organisation
Focus
– Validate initial hypotheses Interview Form
• Identify potential areas for improvement:
– Where and how much
– Provide direction for the team
• Build relationships quickly:
– Expand your network
– High touch and visibility
• Build commitment and support for the
project:
– Identify pockets of support.
– Temperature check
– Generate war stories
Ultimately, it’s a diagnostic used to test the hypothesis at the beginning of a project.
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3. The focus interview results are used to “hold the mirror up” to the
organization at the first update
Focus Interview Results Storyboard
We spoke to lots of people They said the following good People said these things were This is why these things are
from all over things about you most important important
Approach Strengths Card Sort Results Card Sort Quotes and Examples
• Who we spoke to • Great toilets “xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
• How the FI works • Nice car park
X
XX
Votes
• Site is close to the motorway “xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
X
XX
This represents x years if
experience. “xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
There is a big opportunity for We have a high probability of And this is what people think
improvement if we can fix them
And the time is right
success of you
Improvement Opportunity Probability of Success Climate Right Elevator Quotes
“xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
“xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
Fair
None
Exce
10%
20%
30%
40%+
No Yes “xxxxxxx” “xxxxxxx”
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4. Thorough preparation is essential to present a professional approach and
build credibility
Tips for Preparing a Focus Interview
• Make sure you understand the FI form:
• Get the team manager or team lead to talk you through it
• Highlight the most important or “must have” questions
• Be clear on who you are interviewing:
• Do you know what they do?
• And where the interview will take place:
– Sounds basic but often gets overlooked.
• Be prepared to answer questions:
– Can you explain what the project is about?
– Be prepared for the “ten most difficult questions” you could be
asked
– If you don’t know, it’s OK to say so and inform them that you will
get back to them with an answer
The team manager should conduct an FI briefing for the whole team.
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5. Start the focus interview by setting the scene
Tips for Introducing the Focus Interview
• Introduce yourself and your project’s background:
– How we work with interviewees
• Describe the purpose of the interview:
– Give background to the project if necessary
• Describe the interview approach:
– Time contract
– Structured process
– Note taking
• Assure them that comments will be kept confidential:
– Will not be attributed to them personally
• Inform them how and when they will receive feedback:
– One-on-One, Team updates, Steering Group meetings, Information fairs, etc.
You need to create a non-threatening environment before the interview can start.
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6. Be prepared to deal with a variety of situations
Tips for Handling Difficult Situations
Situations Tips
• Interviewee is inattentive • Ask about their part of the business
• Ask about priorities for change
• Interviewee is hostile • Keep cool
• Let them talk about their “red issues”
• Interviewee rambles on • Direct them more, keep away from open-ended
questions
• You are talking more than • Don’t be afraid of silence
the interviewee • Ask open-ended questions
• You don’t understand what • Paraphrase back
the interviewee has said • Probe, e.g. “Can you explain in more detail?”
Don’t be afraid to bail out if things are going down hill.
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7. This Plan-Do-Review checklist should be second nature to all interviewers
• Preparation of the Interview
– Did you agree a location?
– Did you agree a start time?
– Did you check the name and position of the person
being interviewed?
• Execution of the Interview - Introduction
– Did you introduce yourselves?
– Did you explain the purpose of the interview?
– Did you confirm/clarify the time contract?
– Did you confirm interviewees position/capacity?
– Did you outline the framework of the interview and explain roles?
– Did you explain to what end the interview would be used?
• Execution of the Interview - Close
– Did you finish with an open question (is there anything else you would like to tell me)?
– Did you agree/clarify any next steps and timings?
– Did you thank the interviewee?
• Follow up
– Are your interview notes in a readable form?
– Do you have any verbatim quotations?
– Are the key points summarized, you know who and when to feedback your interview notes?
– Have you quality checked the interview - do you think it is honest and accurate?
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