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ChaPter 4 • InformatIon GatherInG: InteraCtIve methods 107

Figure 4.4
Bipolar Interview Questions
Bipolar interview questions are a
• Do you use the Web to provide information to vendors? special kind of closed question.
• Do you agree or disagree that ecommerce on the Web lacks security? These examples were selected
• Do you want to receive a printout of your account status every month? from different interviews and are
• Does your Web site maintain a FAQ page for employees with payroll not shown in any particular order.
questions?
• Is this form complete?

4. Keeping control over the interview
5. Covering lots of ground quickly
6. Getting to relevant data
The drawbacks of using closed questions are substantial, however. They include the
following:
1. Boring for the interviewee
2. Failing to obtain rich detail (because the interviewer supplies the frame of reference for the
interviewee)
3. Failing to address the main ideas for the preceding reason
4. Failing to build rapport between interviewer and interviewee
Thus, as an interviewer, you must think carefully about the question types you will use.
Both open-ended and closed questions have advantages and drawbacks, as shown in
Figure 4.5. Notice that choosing one question type over the other actually involves a trade-off;
although an open-ended question affords breadth and depth of reply, responses to open-ended
questions are difficult to analyze.
PRoBes. A third type of question is the probe, or follow-up. The strongest probe is the simplest—
the question “Why?” Other probes are “Please provide an example of a time you did not find the
system trustworthy.” and “Please elaborate on that for me.” Some examples of probing questions
can be found in Figure 4.6. The purpose of a probe is to go beyond the initial answer to get more
meaning, to clarify, and to draw out and expand on the interviewee’s point. Probes may be either
open-ended or closed questions.
It is essential to probe. Most beginning interviewers are reticent about probing and conse-
quently accept superficial answers. They are usually grateful that employees have granted inter-
views and feel somewhat obligated to accept unqualified statements politely.

Arranging Questions in a Logical Sequence
Just as there are two generally recognized ways of reasoning—inductive and deductive—there are
two similar ways of organizing your interviews. A third way combines both inductive and deductive
patterns.

Open-Ended Closed Figure 4.5
Low Reliability of Data High Attributes of open-ended and
closed questions.

Low Efficient Use of Time High

Low Precision of Data High

Much Breadth and Depth Little

Much Interviewer Skill Required Little

Difficult Ease of Analysis Easy