This document provides guidance on conducting key informant interviews (KIIs). It discusses when KIIs should be used, how to select informative key informants, and how to properly prepare for and conduct the interviews. The main points are: 1) KIIs are useful early in a project to inform planning or near completion to evaluate outcomes. They allow exploration of issues and confirmation of information. 2) Informative informants are those affected by policies, able to make decisions, or with unique perspectives on the issue. A variety of viewpoints should be included. 3) Proper preparation includes introducing yourself, your organization, purpose, and obtaining informed consent. Scheduling should offer flexible options and reminders

1. Key Informant Interview KII
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MUHAMMAD SAID SHAH
MER OFFICER DRC

2. Agenda
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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?
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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
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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
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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
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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.

18. Thanks
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