AN INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER'S ROLE is multi-faceted. Prior to analyzing and designing solutions, designers need to research the problems. Instructional designers must interview a variety of people, such as potential learners and subject matter experts, in order to collect enough information to determine appropriate solutions for those problems.

Interviewing is challenging. The interviewee may not be willing to give information, or be unsure of what information to give. However, by asking a variety of question types and listening actively, the instructional designer will have a more thorough grasp of the interviewee's perspective.

Asking questions is easy; being aware of the types of questions one is asking is a skill. By incorporating various question types in an interview, A designer will have a more complete understanding of the performance problem. Wilson Learning Corporation (1994) describes such question types below: 
Permission questions reduce tension by demonstrating the designer's positive intent.

Fact-Finding questions gather specific information: who, what, where and when. Typically, these questions have responses such as yes/no or unique data.

Feeling-Finding questions are subjective. They aim to uncover the interviewee's opinions, values, feelings and beliefs.

Best/Least questions further help the designer understand the interviewee's perspective.

Magic Wand questions help the interviewee think about how it would be like if the problem did not exist.

Tell-Me-More questions probe the interview to provide further detail.

Catch-all questions are similar to tell-me-more questions, except they are asked usually at the end of the interview.

Checking questions are used to find out if the designer understands the interviewee's responses.

Restatement is a technique that paraphrases and summarizes the interviewee's response. Both checking questions and restatement affirm that the designer is actively listening to the interviewee. 

These examples are but a few of the many ways to ask these question types. Be creative with your questioning! 

The above questions can be useful by themselves, but are even more powerful when used throughout the interview. For example, by pairing fact-finding and feeling-finding questions together, the designer can not only retrieve data, but can get the interviewee's opinions about that data as well. 
Don't forget listening! 

Even if you are bored by your interviewer, stay alert and focused!

In the video, the designer demonstrated that she was listening by restating the manager's comments and checking her understanding. However, some conversations may not be as scripted. When interviews go awry, it is up to the interviewer to get it back on track. Brady (2004) lists tips that can aid in doing so:

• Stay attentive. Be aware that you can lose focus and begin thinking about something other than the interviewee's response.
• If you find that your interviewee is boring, keep in mind that you are interviewing him for a reason. His perspective is important.
• If the interviewee speaks too slowly, do not tune out. Listen between the lines; you may uncover something!
• If a subject is biased or overly emotional, stay objective. Be empathetic, but do not enter into an argument.
• Listen for motives and overall ideas, not for detail. Otherwise, you can miss the big picture of what the interviewee is trying to say.
• Note-taking is appropriate unless the interview becomes choppy or you lose eye contact. Then, find a better method to record information, such as a tape-recorder or video-recorder. Be sure to ask a Permission Question!
• Don't fake attention. Have good posture. Show interest in the interviewee and his responses. The interviewee will notice this, and will warm up to you.
• Concentrate, even if there are distractions, such as outside factors or even the interviewee's quirks or habits.
  

For more information about interviewing and performance analysis, see the EET articles on:

• Performance Analysis
• Technology and Analysis
• Training Needs Assessment

Wilson Learning Corporation (1994). The counselor salesperson.

Brady, J. (2004). Just asking. Writer, 117(11), 28-29.

Britney A. Cole, Educational Technology Graduate Student ，Cole, B. (2004). Effective interviewing. In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. Retrieved from