Fact Finding Techniques

1. Interviewing
   Interviewing is the most common technique used. Some guidelines for interviewing are:
   • Obtain permission from management for the interview.
   • Use a quiet room for the interview, although if the interviewee's workplace is suitable, this is often advantageous.
   • Prepare for the interview: create a list of topics to be covered, look at notes of previous if they exist.
   • Open with a brief preamble of the aims and background of the investigation.
   • Ask open-ended questions to elicit user attitudes and opinions.
   • Ask more focussed questions for details and facts.
   • Avoid committing to any opinions or promising solutions.
   • Avoid taking sides with staff or departments, be a neutral observer.
   • Do not get into exchanges of personal opinions or arguments with users.
   • Test understanding with users, tell them what you think the position is.
   • At the end of the interview, summarize the facts that you have gathered.
   • Be constructive and encourage the user likewise; make suggestions and elicit suggestions from the user on how to improve things.

   Further guidelines

   • The interviewer should be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the interviewee, and on the subject of the interview. Interviews can be structured or unstructured - if it is structured, a plan for the interview has to be devised.
   • Arrange the time, place and subject of the interview well beforehand so that the interviewee is able to make arrangements regarding his or her work, and to collect together documents and information related to the subject of the interview.
   • Put the interviewee at ease by providing a quiet, interruption-free environment. If a tape recorder is used, request for permission to record the interview; explain why and reassure the interviewee that it is not for subsequent "inquests".
   • LIsten more than talk, yet say enough to keep the discussion going along the right lines. Avoid leading questions, aim towards short questions and long answers. Take written notes, as memory is unreliable; if it is felt necessary, prepare beforehand a draft of the questions.
   • Interview only one person at a time, thus eliminating arguments between staff and reducing the conflict of interests. Discourage a manager from attending the interview involving one of his staff as this tends to inhibit the latter.
   • Control the interview by minimizing digressions, separating opinions from facts, and not allowing generalizations to obscure the true situation.
   • Do not attempt to cover too much ground in one interview. After one hour at the most, temporarily conclude the discussion and arrange to resume in the near future.
   • Conclude with a brief summary of the ground covered, asking whether any important points have been omitted, and leave an opening for further discussion.
   • When interviewing top management, they should be encouraged to explain objectives, major problems, large-scale developments, and the like. Top managers are concerned with strategic decisions and this ought to be reflected in the level of questions put to them.
   • When interviewing middle management, the interview should be more concerned with tactical planning and its related information. Most line managers have ideas for improving the present system if facilities are available. They are also able to elucidate on the organization and staffing of their department, thus enabling the SA to find out who else to interview and what aspects to investigate. This is also a convenient time to request permission to interview the manager's staff.
   • When interviewing operational staff, questions should be restricted to details of the interviewee's duties, and if necessary, they should be asked to demonstrate their work rather than describe it. It is important to allay the feelings of apprehension that arise when changes are on the horizon. By friendliness, avoidance of condescension and showing an interest in their work, the co-operation of operational staff is generally secured.
2. Questionaire
   Refer to notes discussed in class.
3. Observing
   Refer to notes discussed in class.
4. Reading
   Refer to notes discussed in class.