Stakeholder Interviews: Common Questions About Preparation

Start with an uncertainty that affects the work, such as why coordinators miss urgent requests. Identify what you need to understand and who has direct experience of it. A focused goal helps you select questions and avoids turning the session into a broad discussion of every possible feature. Keep the goal separate from the answer you hope to hear.

Prepare a short explanation of the purpose, a few open questions and a way to record useful observations. Agree the time and any recording arrangements. Check whether the person needs information in a different format. Leave room for follow-up questions instead of writing a script so long that it prevents you from listening.

Ask about a recent experience before asking for an opinion about your preferred solution. “What happened the last time an enquiry was missed?” gives the person room to explain. “Would a dashboard fix this?” directs attention towards one idea. Follow up with neutral prompts about actions and circumstances, and check your understanding without suggesting the answer.

Not automatically. Consider whether a recording is necessary, what permission and organisational process apply, and how it will be stored and deleted. For user research, informed participation includes understanding recording arrangements. If recording is inappropriate or declined, agree another approach, such as notes. Do not switch on a recorder merely because the meeting software offers the option.

Record their different accounts and the situations each describes. One may handle urgent cases while another handles routine work, so both experiences may be valid. Look for evidence that can clarify the difference and identify the decision that remains unresolved. Do not average conflicting opinions into a statement that neither person recognises.

Summarise the important points, distinguish observations from interpretations and ask about any uncertainty. Record actions with owners and dates where agreed. For a fictional handover issue, the next step might be observing one shift change rather than immediately buying software. Keep the follow-up proportionate and do not present your notes as universal proof from one conversation.