Transcript Conducting Key Informant Interviews

Handling the Misconceptions and
Challenges of Key Informant Interviews
A teleconference hosted by
The Tobacco Control Evaluation Center
Robin Kipke, Evaluation Associate
February 26, 2009
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Agenda
Objective: Correct misconceptions and
tackle challenges of doing KIIs
•
When and why to conduct KIIs
•
Who makes a useful informant
•
How to prepare for an interview
•
How to obtain an interview
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What Is a Key Informant Interview?
A key informant is someone
who can “unlock” information
for you about an issue
An interview is a conversation
with a structure and a purpose
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Purpose of a Key Informant Interview
To get understanding of an issue or culture

To capture the big picture

To get rich detail

To investigate the breadth

To test the depth

To determine the ranges & possibilities
4
What a Key Informant Interview Is Not
A key informant interview is NOT
 a survey
 an educational visit
 the same as a news interview
5
When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
Early in a campaign and/or near its end
•
To explore information
(when you don’t know something)
•
To confirm information
(when you want to assess what you did)
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What Key Informant Interviews Can Do
KIIs can help your project:

Get ideas for your strategy

Identify and gain access to key players

Develop relationships with stakeholders and
info sources
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When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
At the beginning of an intervention –
To inform the planning of your project about

The various positions or “camps” on an issue

Potential barriers and challenges to achieving
your policy goal

Cultural considerations of a target population

How best to approach a particular
stakeholder group
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When to Conduct Key Informant Interviews
After an intervention –
To gather process data to inform future actions

Learn how various stakeholders felt about
the program or policymaking process

Reflect on what worked/didn’t work,
why a policy was/wasn’t adopted,
particularly effective strategies,
ways to improve
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Misconceptions about Using KIIs
Misconception
o
That you need to ask the same questions in both
pre- and post-intervention KIIs
Fact

Usually not, since KIIs are most often used to
collect process data about how and why things
happened
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How to Choose Informants
Select people who will either:
•
Be affected by the proposed policy
•
Have the power to make policy decisions
•
Possess unique perceptions/points of view OR
•
Know a great deal about the issue/culture
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Who Makes a Good Informant
Think about the informant’s role and what
you need to know
•
Politicians/officials/their staff
•
Service providers
•
Community leaders
•
Business owners
•
Cultural insiders
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Diversifying Your Informant Pool
Experience from the Field
Roy Rosell
Health Educator/Community Organizer
The Asian Youth Center in San Gabriel
[email protected] or
[email protected]
13
Who to Include in Your Sample
Seek a variety of viewpoints –
•
From constituents, allies, opponents, targets
•
From people of differing job titles,
characteristics, positions on an issue
•
Don’t just talk to likely supporters!
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How to Prepare for an Interview

Use social investigation techniques

Research public records

Attend open meetings beforehand
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Investigating Public Figures
Experience from the Field
Vanessa Marvin
Organizing Coordinator
The Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing
[email protected]
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www.Center4TobaccoPolicy.org
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How to Approach a Key Informant
Introduce

Yourself

Your organization

Your purpose

Your sales pitch – why s/he as key
informant

How much time you’ll need
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Obtaining an Interview
Experience from the Field
Denise Cintron Perales
Evaluator, Perales & Associates Evaluation
Services (PAES)
[email protected]
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Obtaining Interviews with Policymakers




Contact officials that your project has
worked with
Have project staff make the initial contact
Once informant agrees, introduce yourself
& purpose of interview
Mention that you were told informant
agreed to be interviewed
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Interview Scheduling Logistics
Offer several different options for data
& time
 State approximately how long the
interview will last
 The day before the interview, send a
reminder email

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Meeting Challenges
Insights from participants:
How do you handle…?
•
Getting reluctant informants to agree
to an interview
•
Interviewing a likely opponent
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How to Respond to Questions in an Interview
Experience from the Field
Carey January
Project Director
Girl’s Club of Los Angeles
Chair of Coalition for Smoke-free Parks
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Formulating KII Question Guides





Map out key data points with end-use
strategizing
Start with easy, non-threatening
questions
Sequence questions for conversation
flow
Avoid bias in the wording
Anticipate possible follow up questions
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Resources for Doing KIIs
For more help with key informant interviews
•
Watch a pre-recorded presentation on
conducting KIIs from the TCEC website
•
Download end-use strategizing tools and tips
on formulating interview questions from the
TCEC website to help you develop your KII
question guides
•
Call or email an evaluation associate for
individual help
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Contact Us
200 B Street, Suite E, Davis, CA 95616
http://tobaccoeval.ucdavis.edu
[email protected]
530.297.4659, fax 530.757.8303
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