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Gathering the Data 73

itate resistance or deception. In general, however, this should be
your standard operating procedure for interviews. One alumnus,
now a senior administrator in the German government, elaborates
on some of the benefits of sending the guides ahead of time and
follow-up:

I make extensive use of interviews during the early phases
of projects to clarify hypotheses, identify relevant material
needs, and create buy-in. We develop interview guides and
send them in advance to allow the interviewees to prepare
and track down information that they do not already have.
After the interview, we document our findings and give that
as feedback to the interviewee to make sure we understood
him properly . . . and to correct any misunderstandings.

Post-interview follow-up also adds value to the interview
process. It gives you a chance to confirm what you heard and to
ensure you understood what was said. It is much better to have
that clarification earlier in the process, as the error can magnify
over time. (Remember those school-yard games of “telephone” in
which a sentence gets whispered around a circle and emerges hilar-
iously unrecognizable?) Don’t forget to send the all-important and
often-missed thank-you letters, as previously discussed.
Finally, on the topic of sensitivity, when it comes to starting the
interview off on the right foot, start slowly and gently. It is usu-
ally safe to begin with a big picture of what you are trying to
accomplish and why you are meeting with that particular person.
Consider an icebreaker to get things moving, but avoid platitudes
like “Nice weather, isn’t it?” Rather, try to empathize with the
interviewee and what she does. For instance, “I don’t think I could
ever spot defective widgets with my eyesight. How perfect does
your vision have to be to do a job like yours?” As always, circum-
stances may require a different approach, but we recommend mak-
ing a connection before you start pressing on sensitive subjects.