Interviewing For Information

Self-Development Guide

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATIONSELF-DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

CONTENT DESCRIPTIONS

SUMMARYSECTION 1 Introduction

Learning Objectives Duration Design Principles

SECTION 2 Interviewing - The Basics The Basics - Getting Started Initial Practice Scenarios

SECTION 3 Choosing The Type Of Interview Structured and Unstructured Interviews Selecting an Interview Type

SECTION 4 Using An Interview Methodology Your Interview Methodology

SECTION 5 High Value Interviewing Techniques The Interview Technique Toolbox Applying A Selected Technique Organizing Your Interview Results

APPENDICES Answers to Exercises Sample Memo

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

SECTION 1INTRODUCTION

This Self Development Guide provides the information and activities to help you learn to interview clients for information. This module is a starting point in your skills development in this area. Continued practice will be necessary to establish the new skills as a permanent part of your daily work habits.

This module gives a good overview of interviewing for information. It summarizes proven methods and condenses tips and hints in one resource. Additional resources are included for further research.

The program uses two delivery methods: 1) self-instructional materials, and 2) a workshop where the students have an opportunity to practice “interactive” skills, share ideas, and get feedback from experienced instructors.

LEARNING OBJECTIVESParticipants should be able to:

Given an engagement situation, Select the information you would interview for. Select who you would interview. Identify the types of information you might expect to get.

Describe the difference between a structured and unstructured interview. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of structured and unstructured

interviews. Determine when to use a structured or an unstructured interview. Describe the how to use the interview methodology. Describe selected interviewing techniques and explain the value of each.

DURATIONSince this is a self-instructional program that may span several weeks, the time will vary based on individual needs and capabilities. Therefore, the elapsed time shown below is an estimate.

Section Time Estimate

1 5 minutes2 20 min.3 30 min.4 20 min.5 30 min.

DESIGN PRINCIPLESThis learning program is based on these principles:

Each individual owns his or her own career and skill development.

Adults are capable of independent learning. We don’t need to be in a classroom to read, understand, and recall.

Classroom or workshop time should be devoted to activities that benefit from high interaction among professionals, instruction from a professional leader, or the opportunity to practice in a simulated environment.

Learning takes many forms: much of our success derives from knowing where to find information, or from accessing usable job aids. We do not have to commit everything to memory.

We learn best in small doses, focused on a topic, with the opportunity to practice and apply the information. Practice and application should come as soon as possible after learning.

Adults read, understand, and learn at different rates. Development is most effective when the learner can control the pace.

Feedback must be candid, relevant, usable, and timely to be effective, and all learners need feedback in different forms to know they are making progress.

Hitachi Consulting hires only professionals who have demonstrated a high degree of self-discipline, exceptional work ethic, high intelligence, and self-confidence. The development programs are designed to this profile.

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

SECTION 2INTERVIEWING - THE BASICS

Interviewing - The Basics

Objectives

After successfully completing this section, you should be able to

Given an engagement situation, Select the information you would interview for. Select who you would interview. Identify the types of information you might expect to get.

Why Learn This?

To get the “right” information, you need to be able to select the information you’re looking for, the people you think would know that information, and be able to classify it so you can organize the information and make it useful.

Information

Overview“Inter . . . view” – exchanging views, information, ideas, feelings. Sometimes between just two people, other times, among many people at once. Interviewing skills are fundamental to a consultant’s success. Why? Because success so frequently depends upon gaining insights and knowledge from others. Though we use other means to gather information (e.g. surveys, document reviews), our focus here is the Information Gathering (IG) interview. Rare is the engagement that will not require this approach.

Interviews come in many flavors:

Employment

Counseling

Terminations

Information Gathering

Coaching

Depositions

Performance Reviews

Corrective Action

However, our focus is on “Information Gathering (IG),” specifically to aid in diagnosing a problem, or gaining the information needed to help you move to the next step in an engagement.

Within the IG Interview category, a consultant may use several types of interviews and many different techniques to achieve the information-gathering goal. This module explains the different types of IG interviews and techniques.

You’ll also explore some special circumstances (i.e. thorny situations and people, and how to deal with them), and you’ll have the chance to apply some of what you learn in several Application Exercises. Over time, you will develop your own interviewing style, and techniques that work best for you. This entire module is meant as only your primer.

TYPICAL GOALSOur business is a knowledge business, and each situation presents us with people who have knowledge we need. That is your most common goal when interviewing: get information. Information comes in many forms:

Facts Statistics

The Basics - Getting Started

Opinions

Feelings

Ideas

Anecdotes

But, whatever the form, your goal is to recognize and get the high-value information needed to make progress in the engagement.

Professional consultants know that interviews offer an opportunity to accomplish other important goals beyond just getting information. Which of these do you think may also be goals in different interview situations?

a) Marketing yourself, establishing your credibilityb) Marketing the companyc) Identify potential future engagements related to other issues and opportunitiesd) Building relationships, with the individual interviewee and with his/her company

Yes, they may all be worthwhile goals in selective situations. Interviews, then, are one of our most valuable “tools-of-the-trade.”

Activity

What’s Really Important?This is an experiential exercise. Pick one of the three situations that best matches the service you deliver. Use your best judgment and past experience to answer the questions. Thinking through the situation will help you reinforce your analytical and planning skills for interviewing. Check your answers with the proposed answers in the appendix. If you review the answers with your Coach, focus on the rationale behind the recommended answers.

For the situation you select, assume Information Gathering Interviews will be helpful and your primary goal. Answer these questions in the accompanying space on the pages that follow:

1) Who, or which positions, would you want to interview?

2) What information would you try to get through interviews in this situation?

3) What form(s) might information take coming from the interviewees (i.e. ideas, feelings, statistics, opinions, recommendations, etc.)?

Initial Practice Interview Scenarios

SITUATION ONEThe client engages Hitachi Consulting to custom-design a new Order Entry System for their Customer Service Operators. Speed, ease-of-use, prompting screens that virtually eliminate mistakes – these are some of the characteristics they’ve described as important.

1)

2)

3)

SITUATION TWOABC Company acquires XYZ Company. ABC asks Hitachi Consulting to help them create an effective integration plan so that XYZ’s organization can be fully absorbed into the ABC Co. This will likely mean a new organization structure for the combined entity. It could also require the elimination of many positions and possibly the creation of several new positions.

1)

2)

3)

SITUATION THREEABC Company is pleased with our approach to the organization integration issues. They explain they’re inclined to engage us for it, but wonder now whether we shouldn’t also assist with the systems integration effort as well. They ask how we would approach the task of planning an efficient integration of the two different information systems. They’re particularly interested in our “interviewing requirements and approach.”

1)

2)

3)

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

SECTION 3CHOOSING THE TYPE OF INTERVIEW

Choosing The Type Of Interview

Objectives

After successfully completing this section, you should be able to: Describe the difference between a structured and unstructured interview. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of structured and

unstructured interviews. Determine when to use a structured or an unstructured interview.

Why Learn This?

The types of questions you ask in an interview “control” the response and the type and quality of information you get. To get the information you need, you will know the advantages and disadvantages of structured and unstructured interviews so you can select which one or what combination to use.

Information

Interview TypesGenerally, there are two types: Structured and Unstructured, with minor variations. Though most expert interviewers mix structured and unstructured styles in an interview (to get the best of both), one technique is generally more dominant and valuable in a given situation. This discussion explores the results of following one technique over another

StructuredIn a structured interview, you come with a set list of questions to cover.

You’ll tend to go pretty much in the sequence you’ve planned, allowing for little diversion from the “structured pathway” that leads to the information you want.

UnstructuredIn unstructured interviews, the interviewer has goals, but goes after them in an unstructured way – letting the interviewees explore many different issues, across multiple topics.

Asking just a few, very open questions, the interviewer helps the participants to “open up,” sharing lots of information that may not be very focused.

The expert interviewer then sorts through all that’s been offered to find what’s needed.

Before reading the next page, use the space below to list some advantages and disadvantages of each type. Check your answers in the appendix.

Advantages DisadvantagesStructured

Unstructured

Structured and Unstructured Interviews

Here is a comparison of the two interview types.

STRUCTURED UNSTRUCTUREDThe consultant proceeds through a definite sequence of questions.

The consultant primes and prompts with a few questions and key issues, but encourages wide-ranging conversation.

The consultant is in full control of the interview at all times.

The interviewee may lead the consultant through a variety of issues, more at the interviewee’s pace. The interviewer cedes more control to the interviewee.

Virtually the identical track will be followed with the next interviewee, to ensure consistency and completeness.

A complete picture may only come from the total of the interviewees conducted, as different interviewees may cover different issues.

Structured interviews tend to yield factual, specific answers in response to narrow, specific questions – both open and closed questions.

Unstructured interviews are more effective at generating feelings and ideas than facts and data: people “open up” more in an unstructured interview.

Efficient, straightforward, less time-consuming than unstructured.

Relatively inefficient; often many tangents to pursue and “extra listening” to do.

Here is an example of the two interview types applied to the same situation.

STRUCTURED UNSTRUCTUREDConsultant: Do you think the new dress code helps or hurts the company’s results?I like it. It makes Friday’s something to look forward to.

Consultant: Is the code is clear enough as to what is and isn’t acceptable?Yes. It should be easy for anyone here to tell what’s “over the line, though a section or two may be a little confusing for some people.”

Consultant: From what you understand, would jeans be within or outside the new code?Jeans would be outside the new code. It says clearly that denim is not permitted.

Consultant: And how about T-shirts?Also outside the code. Shirts have to have collars.

Consultant: What do you think of the new dress code?I like it. It makes Friday’s something to look forward to.

Consultant: And how about clarity. Do you think everyone’s clear about what’s acceptable?They should be. It seems pretty clearly written to me, except a section or two that might cause confusion.

Consultant: Would you want to elaborate?Sure. Mary yesterday was a good example. She had on a skirt, but it was denim. I think that’s not allowed, but she said she wore that before the code, and it is a skirt.

Consultant: What do you think is the right interpretation?Well, I’d say it’s not allowed because it’s denim.

Consultant: Well, is it clear who makes the decision about this? Who sets the rules?I don’t think so. I’m not sure who I’d ask. But we are going to have to be clear about all this with everyone.

From the above example, you can see that the structured interview will tend to get you specific answers to specific questions, but often it misses the feelings, attitudes, and subtleties in a situation. That may be fine, depending upon what information you are trying to get. Often, multiple forms of information are important to your research, this is why a mix of the two types of interviews may be used in the same session.

Activity

Which Type Should You Use?You are going to use the same three situations from Section 2. Remember, though most expert interviewers mix structured and unstructured styles in an interview (to get the best of both), one technique is generally more dominant and valuable in a given situation.

This is only a starter exercise. You are not expected to be an expert either before or after this one exercise. Focus on the basics for now. More advanced skills can be acquired after you master the basics.

When determining which interview type you will primarily use, think about

What information do you need to get?

Do you need to focus on predetermined areas or will it be an advantage to keep it more open?

Will you need just facts or both facts and feelings?

Will you need to control the direction of the interview?

Selecting An Interview Type

For each situation, identify which type of interview you believe would be more productive to use. Explain why.

Situation One: The client engages Hitachi Consulting to custom-design a new Order Entry System for their Customer Service Operators. Speed, ease-of-use, prompting screens that virtually eliminate mistakes – these are some of the characteristics they’ve described as important.

Situation Two: ABC Company acquires XYZ Company. ABC asks Hitachi Consulting to help them create an effective integration plan so that XYZ’s organization can be fully absorbed into the ABC Co. This will likely mean a new organization structure for the combined entity. It could also require the elimination of many positions and possibly the creation of several new positions.

Situation Three: ABC Company is pleased with our approach to the organization integration issues. They explain they’re inclined to engage us for it, but wonder now whether we shouldn’t also assist with the systems integration effort as well. They ask how we would approach the task of planning an efficient integration of the two different information systems. They’re particularly interested in our “interviewing requirements and approach.”

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

SECTION 4USING AN INTERVIEW METHODOLOGY

Using An Interview Methodology

Objectives

After successfully completing this section, you should be able to

Explain how to use the interview methodology.

Why Learn This?

You will want to learn and use this methodology to save time “reinventing” your processes and to be able to work consistently with others within Hitachi Consulting.

Information

Develop Your Interviewing MethodologyHow much productivity would you lose each day were you to “reinvent” the way you tie your shoes or drive to work? Routines, or methodologies, help our efficiency and our effectiveness. Consultants need a set routine for managing the information interview process. Though you will develop your own variations, here is a checklist to get you started. When an IG Interview is ahead, step through these elements to heighten your effectiveness:

I. Set goals

a. What will you try to get from these interviews?

b. How narrowly focused should you be, versus exploring a wider range of issues?

c. What are the minimum outcomes you’ll need?

II. Plan the people

a. Who should you interview?

b. In what sequence?

c. What do you expect to get from each?

III. Plan the logistics

a. When should these interviews occur: early or late in the week, early or late in the day?

b. Where should they be held: a neutral site, conference room, the interviewees’ offices?

c. Should the interviews be conducted in group or individual sessions?

Your Interview Methodology

d. How many consultants need to participate in the interview? Include such factors as

i. What skill sets need to be represented

ii. What industry experience should be present

iii. What roles need to be played

iv. What relationships exist

v. How the presence of certain individuals will affect the information gathered

IV. Communicate

a. What should participants know in advance to maximize the results: agenda, expected outcomes, topic areas, timing and location?

b. Who will notify participants that they have been selected for interviewing: Hitachi Consulting, the client?

c. When is the best time to inform people?

d. What is the best medium for this communication?

V. Select your type and techniques

a. Given the situation and the nature of the participants, which interview type (structured or unstructured, or hybrid) and techniques (these are described in the next section, e.g. “What If”; “Pro/Con”, Open or Closed Questions, etc.) will work best for you?

VI. Script your part

a. What are your core questions – the ones you want to be sure are asked and answered?

b. What is the best sequence for your interview content: how will you move from general-to-specific, neutral-to-contentious, easy-to-tough?

c. What questions will take you through the 3-layered sequence (see the next section for details on this technique), from organization level, to people and processes, to the personal level?

d. What is your introduction/opening: how will you clearly explain goals, conduct, timing, etc.?

e. What is your closing: how will you end the interview in a positive way? Are there next steps to outline, or follow-ups to be scheduled?

Opening Tips

During your opening remarks, tell the interviewee what the interview is about and how the interview will be conducted. Depending on the situation, you may communicate this information with a memo prior to the interview see the sample in the appendix.

Note Taking Tips

Use your memory as much as possible. When writing, keep your notes brief. Use delayed note taking with sensitive information. Schedule 15-30 minutes between interviews to write and review notes.

Interview Observation Evaluation

The Observer Evaluation Form used in the “Interviewing for Information” workshop is included as an appendix. It may be helpful to use the form as a guide for what should be done during an interview.

Core Questions - Problem Solving Sample

Just above we highlighted the importance of developing “core questions” for each of your interview situations. Here is an example, using a general “Problem-Solving Situation” as the impetus for the engagement.

This situation is common because many engagements have their roots in some type of problem the client cannot solve without external help. Often, our best starting point is a round of interviews designed to isolate and define the problem clearly and to begin to gather insights into potential solutions.

Think of the “interview track” that follows as a basic template. These would be your core questions. Though you might wander along a few tangents, you would ensure your participants answer these questions clearly and fully.

Core Questions . . . 1. In your own words, how would you define the problem, or the reason for seeking

outside help?

2. What are the dimensions and impacts of the problem?o When does it occur?o Who is affected, and in what ways?o Where does the problem show up?o When it occurs, what is the result?

3. What is your view as to causes? What factors contribute to perpetuating this problem?

4. What efforts have been made already to correct it?o What have the results been?

5. Describe the “desired state”: how would things look/work if we’re successful?

6. What recommendations could you offer, or alternatives to consider, for pursuing an efficient, lasting solution?

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

SECTION 5HIGH VALUE INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES

High Value Interviewing Techniques

Objectives

After successfully completing this section, you should be able to

Describe selected interviewing techniques and explain the value of each.

Why Learn This?

When planning and conducting interviews, you must think about details such as the different type of questions you may ask, when to summarize/paraphrase, and when will a follow-up question be needed. To be capable of this level of detail planning, you must have a “toolbox” of techniques to select from. This section provides you with a ready-made package that you will modify and add to as you gain more experience.

Information

HIGH VALUE TECHNIQUES In the table below are selected techniques (in no particular order) for your use in upcoming exercises and in future interviews you will conduct with clients. Use it as a reference in mastering these techniques.

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLEDirect Question Seeks specific information. Which positions in the I.S.

group do you believe lack clear accountabilities?

What If/Just Suppose

Helps people move beyond their limited, well-defined, present circumstances to consider creative alternatives.

What if we could start over? How would you design this system differently? Just suppose budgets were unlimited . . . what could you do to improve the network’s performance in the next 18 months?

Summarize Periodically, recap the key points the interviewee has raised. This helps ensure mutual understanding. It also serves as a prompt to elicit more.

So if I’ve understood you correctly, there are three key issues here: funding levels, talent gaps in the group, and the tight deadline. Is that all?

Reflect Restate what’s been said in different words: to clarify and elicit more.

You’re saying there’s a gap in some key skills to get the project done?

Open Question Requires more than a “yes” or “no” answer, stimulates thinking, usually begins with “what,” “how,” “when,” “why.”

What recommendations would you have for improving the accuracy of the data at the input stage?

The Interviewing Techniques Toolbox

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLEClosed Question Seeks one-word answers;

closes discussion; usually begins with “is,” can,” “how many,” etc.

Do you understand the usage requirements? Do you think the changes are, overall, good or bad? How many times does this happen in an average month?

Pro/Con Ask people to address both sides of an issue, not just one, to help them fully explore the topic.

What would be the advantages and the disadvantages, of moving up the deadline? How would you describe the two best pro’s and the two worst con’s of changing the project team at this stage?

Note Taking We think we’ll remember all the key points – but we don’t. Notes are essential, especially when conducting multiple interviews. Also, it’s a sign to the interviewee that you value what they have to offer. It may be beneficial to assign someone from Hitachi Consulting to attend in the role of “scribe”.

Challenge Keeps interviewees “alert” that you are not simply taking everything offered without critical thinking.

I’m having some difficulty with that idea. Would you give me an example or two of how that would work in the real world?

Can you cite a few specifics to support your position, or are we working with beliefs only at this stage?

Ice Breaker Starting with hard-edged questions can be intimidating to people, hindering open discussion. But don’t spend more than a minute on these ice breakers, or you risk being seen as a time-waster.

Sports, weather, etc.

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLE3-Layered Sequence Macro: business

& / or organization level

People & Processes

Personal

Most problems, or issues, can be explored on three levels, shown at left. Be sure to explore all three when the interview’s goal is to get information related to problem solving.

It is often easiest for interviewees to explore a problem by moving through the three layers in sequence.

Problem: should we invest in new software now, or try to wait two years?

Layer One:

Tell me how you think the current programs help or hurt the company in serving its customers?

Layer Two:

Can you describe how the order fulfillment process in particular suffers? Or the operators who work within the process at different stages?

Layer Three:

How is your work personally affected by this package of programs? What changes would most help you personally to perform at higher levels?

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLE “SIALR”(pronounced sailor)ScopeIssuesAssetsLiabilitiesRecommendations

Expert interviewers tend to have a favored “track” they follow – a pattern, or sequence, that helps them move through “diagnostic interviews” efficiently and smoothly. One of these is the “SIALR.”

Each of the five elements is a topic area, within which specific questions are posed to draw out the interviewee.

Scope(Get your bearings):

Tell me about the scope of your responsibilities.

IssuesHow would you describe the specific issues, or problems, under investigation here? What are the most important questions to be resolved?

AssetsIn looking at your company, or group, what would you cite as their best assets, or strengths? What should we try to build on moving forward?

LiabilitiesAnd the converse: what are the company’s major weaknesses, or liabilities? The things we should be working to improve?

RecommendationsWhat specific ideas can you offer to help resolve the issues, or solve the problems?

Work from “easy-to-tough”, “general-to-specific”, and “neutral-to-contentious”

This pattern leads interviewees along in a far less threatening way.

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLEOpen with clarity Explain the agenda, the

content, the objectives, the time, and your expectations for this interview.

In the 45-minutes we have this morning, I expect we’ll focus on the data cleanup effort underway. I’m particularly interested in your views as to how we could speed up the process to meet our deadline.

Build rapport Use your ice breakers. Don’t be afraid of humor, or being a bit casual. Eye contact, tone of voice, and body language are actually far more important than words in building rapport. Trust and comfort are essential ingredients if people are going to open up to you, and their sense of trust and comfort derive from your tone, your eyes, and your overall body language.

Use your body language to advantage

Keep solid eye contact and straight-up, “I’m-interested” posture. Don’t encroach on the interviewee’s space.

Use prompts and probes

The first answer you get is rarely all of it. Learn to follow-up on a question, and to prompt more from people on the meaty issues.

Really? Can you be more specific about that?

That’s good, but it would help if you could give me a few examples.

Oh? And then what happened?

And, how did you feel about that?

TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION/VALUE EXAMPLEConvert low-value answers into high-value answers.

Don’t settle for low-value responses. These are too general, or abstract, to give you much useful information. When you get one, use follow-up questions to convert them into high-value responses.

Low-Value Examples:

1) People are really stressed out about this system.

2) We just don’t have enough resources to make that kind of program work here.

3) Customer complaints are higher than anytime before. Things are getting worse.

Activity

Going For High Value Answers

Let’s see what you can do with the last technique – convert low-value answers into high-value answers. For the three examples below that could have occurred in your previous exercise, develop questions that would help you to clarify the situations and elicit higher quality information from the interviewee. One or two follow-up questions for each of the three will do.

1) People are really stressed out about this system.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2) We just don’t have enough resources to make that kind of program work here.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3) Customer complaints are higher than anytime before. Things are getting worse.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Applying a Selected Technique

Activity

You’ve Interviewed All of Them ... Now What?When the interviews are done, what will you do with the results? If you’ve been effective, you’ll likely be overwhelmed with information in many forms (documents handed to you, ideas, feelings, recommendations, etc.). What to do next?

Get organized! Feel free to develop a method that works for you, but do use a method.

For example:

Organize the information you’ve gathered by category: “Problem Definitions,” “Potential Problem Causes,” “Desired State Descriptions,” “Recommended Solutions,” etc. This kind of categorization will help you better organize your next activity (e.g. writing a recap or status report).

Another useful activity after a round of interviews is to de-brief with someone else. The person does not have to be part of the interview process. Someone else from the project team can provide a good sounding board. The value: as you talk through your notes and observations, you’ll find insights come to the surface that would have remained hidden had you simply worked in isolation, poring back over all your notes. NOTE: Be careful about confidentiality when selecting someone to de-brief with. Without other direction from your supervisor, all client information should be kept confidential to the client team and those individuals involved in the technical review process.

Third: use a high-value tool or technique to help you sort, evaluate, and make sense of all your data, statistics, or opinions.

Organizing Your Interview Results

Optional Interview Results Exercise

Action - Identify below at least three tools/techniques that you think could be useful in sorting, organizing, or evaluating the output from a round of information gathering interviews and explain why.

1) Tool - ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2) Tool - ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3) Tool - ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

APPENDIXANSWERS TO EXERCISES

Section 2 Answers

SITUATION ONEThe client engages Hitachi Consulting to custom-design a new Order Entry System for their Customer Service Operators. Speed, ease-of-use, prompting screens that virtually eliminate mistakes – these are some of the characteristics they’ve described as important.

1) Complaints from users about the current system; which aspects they would most like to change; what an ideal system would do for them: how it would work, how they’d interact with it, functionalities; most common mistakes they make now, and why those occur; which prompts would be the most valuable.

2) Operators who use the system every day; people who input to the system; I.S. Department Head and any system designers in-house; people who may use the output from the system (e.g. reports generated, and who gets them?)

3) Samples: the current screens, hard copies of any output, input forms;Recommendations: description of an ideal system; what most needs fixing in the current system; Facts/statistics: most common errors made today

SITUATION TWOABC Company acquires XYZ Company. ABC asks Hitachi Consulting to help them create an effective integration plan so that XYZ’s organization can be fully absorbed into the ABC Co. This will likely mean a new organization structure for the combined entity. It could also require the elimination of many positions, and possibly the creation of several new positions.

1) For both companies: Organization structures, roles, responsibilities for key positions; Critical work activities and processes; High talent/ high-potential individuals; Integration budget to support high-expense activities (e.g. severance’s); Marketplace performance: how each goes to market, and customer interaction processes (and a few dozen other elements)

2) All executive level and functional leaders in both companies; key department heads at lower levels (e.g. Marketing Managers; HR Managers; Controllers; MIS Managers)

3) In this type of interview activity, expect to receive all forms of information: from feelings, to recommendations, to samples, to statistics; and, you’ll want it all!

SITUATION THREEABC Company is pleased with our approach to the organization integration issues. They explain they’re inclined to engage us for it, but wonder now whether we shouldn’t also assist with the systems integration effort as well. They ask how we would approach the task of planning an efficient integration of the two different information systems. They’re particularly interested in our “interviewing requirements and approach.”

1) Points of compatibility and non-compatibility across the full range of systems: financial, manufacturing, inventory management, customer service, human resources, etc.

2) Primary: the leaders of the two Information Systems groups; probably lead designers and programmers as well; Secondary: key users who depend upon the output to manage the business. This means selective line executives, particularly in manufacturing and finance and sales.

3) System spec’s; output samples; data about the two systems; opinions about the “best and worst” aspects of both systems.

Section 3 Answers

Advantages DisadvantagesStructured Better control, more focus May miss important information

left out of structured questionsUnstructured Get more feeling and emotions

from people.

More flexible format

Less control

Time consuming

Selecting An Interview Type

Situation One: (The client engages Hitachi Consulting to custom-design a new Order Entry System for their Customer Service Operators. Speed, ease-of-use, prompting screens that virtually eliminate mistakes – these are some of the characteristics they’ve described as important)

Mostly structured, in order to get the facts needed to evaluate the current systems and capture the desired elements of a new one; however, allow “room” for interviewees to vent about the current system, and brainstorm about the “deal state.” That means doing something of a hybrid here – both structured and unstructured.

Situation Two: (ABC Company acquires XYZ Company. ABC asks Hitachi Consulting to help them create an effective integration plan so that XYZ’s organization can be fully absorbed into the ABC Co. This will likely mean a new organization structure for the combined entity. It could also require the elimination of many positions and possibly the creation of several new positions)

Unstructured will work well here, within limits. You’ll want your major topic areas identified (e.g. Structures, Strategies, Key Players, Major Processes, etc.), with core questions inside each; however, in this type of highly sensitive and complex situation, you would want to give your interviewees lots of room to talk about “their issues.”

Situation Three: (ABC Company is pleased with our approach to the organization integration issues. They explain they’re inclined to engage us for it, but wonder now whether we shouldn’t also assist with the systems integration effort as well. They ask how we would approach the task of planning an efficient integration of the two different information systems. They’re particularly interested in our “interviewing requirements and approach.”)

Structured interviews will generate the more usable, factual, information quickly. We need to understand both systems thoroughly and accurately. We should come in with a well-prepared question track to follow to ensure we get the facts we need to move the engagement forward.

Section 5 Answers

Converting Low Value Answers into High Value Answers - Answers1. People are really stressed out about this system.

o “Stressed out?” Could you tell me more specifically what causes people to feel that way?

o Which aspects of the current system cause people to feel stressed?

o If you could redesign just three things about the current system, what would your top three be to help reduce the stress?

o “Resources” takes in a lot of ground: funding, headcount, expertise, facilities – let’s be more specific about where the gaps are . . .

o Which resources, specifically, are most often in short supply?

2. We just don’t have enough resources to make that kind of program work here.o “Resources” takes in a lot of ground: funding, headcount, expertise, facilities – let’s be

more specific about where the gaps are . . .

o Which resources, specifically, are most often in short supply?

3. Customer complaints are higher than anytime before. Things are getting worse.o Which complaints do you think are the most common? Most serious?

o How many complaints are we averaging per day/week now, versus say 3 months, 6 months, and a year ago?

o When you say “getting worse,” what’s the benchmark: the number of complaints, or the content of complaints?

o In fashioning an improvement effort, which customer complaints would you target first as the most important category to reduce? Why?

Going For High Value Answers - Answers

Most of the tools and techniques could prove useful depending upon the situation; however, Check sheets, Scatterplots, Standard Data Displays – line and bar graphs, pie charts, etc., Tree Diagrams, and Cause-and-Effect Diagrams may be more commonly applicable than others. You may be able to get further insights into tools by discussing this exercise with a Coach.

INTERVIEWING FOR INFORMATION

SELF DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

APPENDIXSAMPLE MEMO

SAMPLE SETUP LETTER TO INTERVIEWEES

Date: June 12, 199X

To: Crystallex Company Interviewees* for June 20 with Hitachi Consulting

From: Chris Trett, Consultant, Hitachi Consulting

On June 20, I will be at Crystallex Company headquarters to conduct interviews in your department. You have been selected as someone who can add value to our information gathering and problem solving processes, and I look forward to meeting with you.

As you may have already learned, our objective is to identify potential software packages suitable to Crystallex’s needs in the areas of (1) Inventory Management, (2) Customer Service, (3) Order Entry, (4) Manufacturing Cost Accounting, and (5) Financial Reporting.

My focus in the June 20 interviews will be the second and third elements of this program: Customer Service and Order Entry. You have been selected because of your current position or knowledge with respect to these programs.

Here are some things to think about in advance that will help make our limited time together productive:

What about these two current programs do you like least? What gives you the most trouble?

What do your customers find most frustrating about these two programs? If you could design new systems from scratch, what would they be able to do

that your current ones can’t? Which elements of your job are most directly affected – negatively – by the

current systems?Feel free to add to my list, and I’ll have some other questions for us to explore when we meet. Please bring any written notes or examples you can pull together by June 20.

Each interview is scheduled for 90 minutes. We will conduct them in your work area so we will have easy access to the current programs should we want to “use them” for some examples.

Thank you for your efforts. Together, I’m confident we can make significant progress quickly.

Sincerely,

Chris Trett

*Distribution per client selections