The primary research gathering phase of a communication audit can encompass individual interviews and group discussions. Individual sessions are particularly valuable when dealing with communication gatekeepers in an organisation, such as key managers with cross-functional responsibilities.
There are a number of crucial matters to address before, during and after interviews to extract meaningful feedback.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
The week before:
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Establish contact with interviewees.
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Briefly explain the audit's purpose and process.
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Fix a convenient time and place for the interview.
Two days before:
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Confirm time and place for the interview.
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Customise the interview framework to the specific interviewees.
The morning before:
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Refamiliarise yourself with the interview framework and questions.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
Preliminaries:
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Arrive before time.
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Let the interviewee decide where to sit.
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Introduce yourself on first name terms.
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Provide brief explanation of why you're there.
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Briefly preview project outcomes.
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Assure interviewee(s) of confidentiality.
Individual discussions:
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Allow interviewee(s) to pursue the issue on their terms within the scope of the interview framework.
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Use ad hoc questions to follow up interesting, unexpected or critical information.
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Pose mild challenges to reveal more information.
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Take notes throughout the discussion.
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Good ideas should always be acknowledged and noted.
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Keep probing.
Finally:
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Ask the interviewees to complete the information source forms and return them to the project manager in the envelope provided.
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Thank the interviewees for participating.
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Affirm that their contribution will be reflected in a report toward improving how the organisation communicates issues.
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Advise people that the audit report will be circulated at a later date.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Write the contact report within 24 hours of the discussion to retain details. A typical contact report is 4-5 pages long.
Differentiate clearly between your own views and those of the interviewees.
Indicate if a group was generally in agreement on an issue.
Use quotes where they are accurate and where they sum up an issue.
Provide examples where they add weight and meaning.
Information should be ordered to fit well with the discussion framework.
Information that does not fit neatly into any category should be incorporated at the end of the report.
Indicate the name or initials of the interviewee at the end of each paragraph, to ensure the information can be tracked back to source.
Forward the report to the project manager.