Interviewing Techniques

1. Interviewing Techniques

2. Unavailable interviewing technique

3. Sources of Data • Physical evidence • Recorded media • Written records • People’s recollections

4. Of all of the sources of data • People provided data are the only type susceptible to the influence of the investigator • Most investigators spend more time on scene interviewing than in performing any other task

5. The truth about memory

6. Memory errors • All memory is reconstructed • Perceptual illusions may occur • All memory is subject to error

7. Some factors that influence memory • Time since event • Nature of the event • Previous experience • Context of interview

8. Some factors that influence memory • Location • Moment when event perceived • Cue of accident/incident that was first perceived • Similarity to previous experiences

9. Some factors that influence memory • Speed of event • Uniqueness of cues/events • Interviewer technique

10. What are the traits of the ideal interviewer? • Good listener • Organized • Good listener • Willing to practice and review his/her performance • Good listener

11. The ideal interviewer ?

12. Some factors that influence responses • Context of the interview • Structure of the questions • Interviewee concerns

13. Interviewees and their concerns

14. Potential interviewee concerns • Language/cultural differences • Criminal indictment • Perceived power of interviewer • Loss of license/job/career

15. Objectives of the interview • Objectives will change according to the person being interviewed • Select the interviewee who is most likely to meet the objectives of the interview

16. When will you conduct the interview? • As soon as you arrive on scene? • After you call the office? • After you’ve caught up with your sleep?

17. Where will you conduct the interview? • Near the accident site • In a Coast Guard facility • In a hotel meeting room • In a company office

18. Whom do you interview?

19. Who do you interview? • Instructors • Spouses • Eyewitnesses • First responders • Any person who can shed light on the cause or nature of the accident and the response

20. Who do you interview first? • The operator • The instructor • The assistant • Whomever has the first flight out of town

21. Whom do you allow into the interview?

22. Allow into the interview: • Interviewee’s representative • One representative of each party unless there is a good reason to include > 1 • Trainees

23. Before starting • Identify the likely concerns of the interviewee • Determine how to address those concerns • If possible, select a time and place for the interview that will put the interviewee most at ease

24. Before starting-preparation

25. Before Starting: Preparation • Identify the information to be obtained • Determine the order in which information is to be obtained • Determine the general questions that will elicit the information to be obtained for each topic

26. Before Starting: Preparation • Establish the “ground rules” for conducting the interivew • Assure that the interviewee is as comfortable as possible

27. The rules

28. Ground rules • No interviewess should be permitted to observe other interviews • Investigating officer asks the questions first • Others will then ask questions in order

29. Ground rules • No interruptions to either questions or answers • Follow up questions are permitted, but in same order as initial questions • If recording the interview-Verify that the interviewee is aware of the recording • If not recording the interview-One person should be responsible for taking notes during the interview

30. Ground rules • All present in the interview should agree to and sign notes as soon as possible

31. Taking notes during interviews • Video/audio recording and transcribing • Court report/stenographer • Handwritten • Laptop

32. Setting the stage • You are in charge of the interview • The interviewee is in charge of the information given • Assure that the interviewee talks more than interviewers

33. Asking questions

34. Asking questions • Assure that all questions will not allow for yes/no answers • Begin with broad, general questions • Proceed to specific detail type questions • Listen to the answers • Phrase follow up questions based on the answers given

35. Asking questions • Complete one issue before continuing to the next issue • Maintain a consistent logic in the questions you ask • Attempt to keep the answers pertinent to the particular issue

36. Interview rules: Do • Determine in advance the objective of the interview • Establish agreement on the ground rules • Introduce everyone and their affiliations to the interviewee • Attend to the needs and concerns of the interviewee throughout

37. Interview rules: Do • Allow the interviewee to take a break during the interview • Demonstrate attention to the interviewee at all times • Thank the interviewee at the conclusion of the interview • Provide the interviewee the opportunity to ask questions

38. Interview rules: Don’t • Ask “leading” questions • Ask yes/no questions • Talk more than the interviewee • Provide information to the interviewee • Exhibit indications of approval/disapproval to specific answers

39. Interview rules: Don’t • Use technical jargon unless you are certain that the interviewee understands it • Allow the interviewee to set the pace, pattern or style of the interview

40. Dealing with false responses

41. Dealing with false responses • Rephrase the question • Ask the question again • Change your tone of voice • Do not threaten or intimidate • Move on

42. Dealing with silence • Recognize that some interviewees talk slower than others • Do not fill in a pause with your own comments • Wait until the interviewee says something • If you have waited for a while, wait some more—within reason • Then ask the next question

43. Example of good question Q. Would you just describe what your ideal medical oversight system would be, medical oversight of mariners? A. Well, we've talked at the MERPAC meetings about a qualified panel of physicians or certified medical examiners or whatever, and I certainly think that in a perfect world we'd have that and I think, you know, we have spoken with Admiral Salerno and expressed views about some of that. I think you need to have docs that know what they're doing, number one. If a doctor's concerned about whether or not he's going to keep this business or whatever and passes things through that he probably shouldn't, you know, I think there should be some sort of way to have oversight of physicians and make sure they're doing the right thing.

44. Example of good question Q. Okay. Doctor, how do you see the role of medical oversight in the Coast Guard, the medical oversight of mariners? A. The medical evaluation certification system is part of the triad of the Merchant Mariner licensing, the documentation system, the other two parts being safety and security vetting, and then professional qualifications and medical certification is the third part. I think it's just as important as the other parts. It is sometimes very complex and it interacts with a lot of other programs.

45. Example of good questions Q. Okay, well, was there any aspect of his performance in this event that you were not happy about? A. Yes. Q. What was that? A. Clearly I wouldn't have relieved him of his FOSC responsibilities if I found his performance in this event to be satisfactory. So I ‑‑ you asked me the general question before. Q. In what way was his performance unsatisfactory? A. In areas ‑‑ in particular in areas of risk assessment, internal and external communications, utilization of all available resources, and ability to make adjustments when the plan didn't provide for the specific situation that he encountered.

46. Example of bad question Q. Okay. Dr. French mentioned that they expected 6,000 Merchant Mariner documents per year that NMC will review, notwithstanding the fact that there will be a concomitant increase in information on these documents. What kind of increase in staff can we expect in the NMC to provide the kind of review that will be required to provide an adequate level of public safety? A. In posing that question, I think you just said 6,000, but the figure was 60,000, from your discussion with the Dr. French, which is approximately the number of mariner applications on an annual basis.

47. Example of bad question Q. But, isn't it fair to say that even with the minimal review, if the Coast Guard will review every single Merchant Mariner document that comes along, as will be the policy in September, that one physician will be insufficient to provide even a minimal review, given the expected -- just by sheer statistics in the population, expected increase in the number of documents that would call for a thorough review, given the increase in the use of prescribed medications, given the increase in aging of the population? A. I think it's fair to say that that's a legitimate concern that we should be attentive to and watching as the full workload does shift to the National Maritime Center.

48. Example of bad question Q. Okay. Why is it that the pilots have to have a physical on an annual basis but other people who navigate ships can go five years between physicals? A. Seriously, sir, that's because of how the statutes are written. I don't know the history behind those. Q. Okay. All right, that's a good answer. I won't question that one.

49. Final thoughts

50. Final thoughts • Effective interviewing requires good listening skills, even more than the skills required to ask questions • Interviewing is a skill that improves with practice, and with the diligent review of previous performance