Initial EFSA Learning Programme 414336338.

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2.3. Semi-Structured Interviewing

Session-at-a-glance

Content Approximate Instructional Activity

Time
Introduction 30 minutes Plenary presentation

Interviewing Game 60 minutes Small group activity

Game Debriefing 45 minutes Facilitated plenary discussion

Briefing for next day 15 minutes Plenary discussion

Total Time 150 minutes

Session Objectives
After this session, participants should be able to:
 Describe the process of preparing a semi-structured interview
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using semi-structured interview techniques
in an initial EFSA
 Conduct a semi-structured interview with a community or other group

Session Supplies
 Power-point: 8. Semi-Structured Interviewing.ppt
 Documents:
o Primary Data Collection Checklist (adapted in the previous workshop session)
o Exercise 2.3. Semi-structured interview game.doc (first page copied for all
participants; second page - Initial EFSA Team Member Role Guide - copied
for half the participants; pages 3-5 - Interviewee #1, #2, and #3 Role Guides –
each copied for 1/6 of the participants.)

Key Messages
Advantages of semi-structured interviews include the following:

 They provide quick, qualitative information and rough estimates of the magnitude of the
crisis – the type of information needed by decision makers to launch an operation.

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 They help clarify the problems and priorities of interviewees (rather than those of the
interviewer.)

 They are inherently flexible and adaptable to correspond to prevailing conditions.

 Descriptive: produces descriptive info useful for advocacy efforts

Disadvantages of semi-structured interviews include the following:

• There is a high degree of subjectivity, the findings require much interpretation. Biases
will almost always be present and should be watched for.

• The data are non-representative; interviewees may or may not be representative of the
actual population. Data cannot, therefore, be extrapolated with any statistical validity.

• Interviewees often tend to focus on the worst-case scenario, thus over-estimating the
actual impact.

Guiding Principles of semi structured interviewing include the following:

 Optimal Ignorance: the principle that the team should focus on what is most important
and leave the rest aside (i.e. we don’t need to know everything; the team must be willing to
remain ignorant in some areas in order to focus on critical areas that are of most importance.)
 Appropriate Imprecision: the principle that there is an acceptable level of imprecision,
that the information does not need to be overly specific (e.g. The team does not need to know
for the sake of an initial EFSA that the level of severe malnutrition is 12.3456%. Knowing
that it is “over 10%” or “higher than pre-crisis” is appropriate for the sake of recommending
whether or not an immediate response is needed.
 Learning from, with the people: the principle that the local community has pertinent
knowledge and its own prioritiies, and that the team should try to understand those problems
and priorities from the community’s perspective
 Triangulation: the principle that the same issue should be examined from different
perspectives and by different team members, that information should be sought from
different sources and then cross-checked.

Facilitator Guidance and session preparation

Room Setup

Arrange for areas for small group preparation – preferably out of doors to add a touch of realism.

Session Activities
Introduction
30 minutes

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Use PPTs 1 - 5 to introduce the session learning objectives and key messages with regard to
semi-structured interviewing.

Try to have a participant who has conducted semi-structured interviews to describe the difference
between conducting a semi-structured interview and using a questionnaire to guide the interview.

Explain the guiding principles of semi-structured interviewing and go over the interviewing tips
in some detail to ensure participants are prepared for the interviewing game which follows
directly.

Use PPTs 6 and 7 to provide a few tips to the participants as they prepare for the workshop and
field interviews they are about to hold.

Interviewing Game
60 minutes

Use PPT 8 to guide the instructions.

Each group has six members: three interviewers and three villagers - i.e. members of a
community group who are the interviewees. (If there are additional participants, add an extra
participant to each interview team.)

Hand out the role guides to the Initial EFSA team interviewers and to the villagers. Tell them
they will have 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes for the interviews.

Tell the interviewers they will have 15 minutes to prepare their interview, based on the Primary
Data Collection Checklist adapted in the previous workshop session. Tell each interviewer team
to go now to a quiet place – outside of the conference room – to prepare for their interviews.

Tell the “villagers” not to share the details of their guides with each other. If they have questions
about their roles, ask the facilitation team for clarification. Tell them as well that they are free to
make up information that is reasonable and “in line” with their roles.

Have each facilitator follow a group. Once the interviews begin, watch for:

 Introduction: How did the Initial EFSA team members introduce themselves to the
villagers? Did they sit at the same level as the villagers (on the ground if the villagers are
sitting on the ground, etc.)?

 Climate/Tone: Did the Initial EFSA team members adopt a tone in their voices and body
language suitable to the climate of a crisis? How did they interact with the villagers?
With empathy for their conditions? Or were they so focused on the checklist and order of
questions that they ignored clues by the villagers concerning their actual conditions?

 Assessment Findings: Did the interviewers correctly determine the villagers’ own
priorities or did the team’s assumptions prevent them from “hearing” the interviewees’
own perceived needs?

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After about 45 minutes of interviewing time, ask all participants to return to the conference room
for the debriefing.

Game Debriefing
45 minutes

Show PPT 9 to guide the debriefing.

1. Ask the Initial EFSA teams if they believe they accomplished their aims. Did they get the
information they needed? Why do they think they succeeded?

Try to get the teams to explain why they think they succeeded? Do they now have the
information needed to answer the key Initial EFSA questions?

2. Then move to the Community Groups: Ask them if they thought the assessment teams were
effective? In their opinion, did the teams learn what was really going on? Did they get your
priorities?

Encourage them to explain what they mean by effective? How were they effective? In
getting information? In their interview style and how the teams put them at ease (or
not)?

3. Ask the Initial EFSA teams what they believed worked well? What didn’t work so well?
What would they change if the did the game again? Did the checklist help them or hinder
them?

Try to get them to detail their responses concerning what did or did not go well. Was
it the actual checklist? Their style of questioning? Their use of empathy? Did their
team’s organization and task assignment foster or inhibit their ability to get the
community group’s story?

4. Finally, ask the Community Groups what they thought the teams did well (e.g. introduction,
methodology, climate-setting)? Also, ask them how they felt during the interview. Did they
feel respected by the team? Did the feel that their opinions mattered and were respected?

Try to get them to detail their responses as well. What exconcerning what did or did
not go well. Was it the actual checklist? Their style of questioning? Their use of
empathy? Did their team’s organization and task assignment foster or inhibit their
ability to get the community group’s story?

Briefing on field visits for the next day

After about an hour, thank all the participants for their hard work and then ask the local organizer
of the next day’s field mission to provide essential logistical and administrative details for the
mission (assembly time and place, departure time, any needed materials, etc.)

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Please refer to the next day’s session guide, regarding the briefing to give to participants, if time
allows, at the end of this day. If no time can be made, then the briefing can take place first thing
on day 3 (not ideal).

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