NCI Interviewer Training

1. NCI Interviewer Training “… Each person can take you into a new part of the world. For the person who is willing to ask and listen the world will always be new. The skilled questioner and attentive listener knows how to enter another’s experience.” -- Sufi Master, Halcolm

2. A Guide to Conducting the Consumer InterviewIntroduction Training Modules • Foundation and Principles • Doing Your Homework • Getting Ready • Establishing Rapport • Communicating and Listening • What if…? • Accommodations • Cross-Cultural Considerations • Ending the Interview

3. Foundation What is the NCI Consumer Survey? • Standardized, open ended interview • Structured interview format • Pre-determined topics • Purpose is to obtain responses to a consistent set of questions • Each question will mean different things to each person

4. Principles • The interview team creates an environment where the consumer’s perspective can be obtained comfortably, accurately and honestly • Interviewers are… • Respectful • Accepting and Impartial • Honest • Appreciative

5. Doing Your Homework • Review the questions ahead of time • Find out about important situations before the interview • Find out if accommodations are needed

6. Getting Ready • Initial call and purpose of the survey • What will be gained as a result of the interviews • Approximate time needed for the interview • Good travel instructions

7. Getting Ready • One team member be a primary contact: provide your phone number for questions before the interview; send reminder postcard/phone call • Try to schedule the interview with the individual if he or she is able... • Make sure the person is not canceling a scheduled activity to meet with you • Ask the person if the interview can be conducted in his or her home; if not, offer alternatives or ask person to suggest a different meeting place

8. Establishing Rapport • Starts before the team gets there… • Organize all materials ahead of time • Avoid bringing extraneous papers, it could be intimidating • Consider attire • Arrive on time and… • Turn off cell phones and pagers!

9. Establishing Rapport • And when the team gets there… • Establish eye contact right away • Comment on the person’s surroundings, but…move quickly to business at hand • With the person, select a room where there are few distractions (avoid bedrooms) • Obtain the person’s consent • Explain the team’s roles: who will be writing down the person’s answers on the survey form and may make notes to help remember what he or she said

10. Communicating and Listening • Relax! Be yourself! Enjoy the Interview! • Some tips to think about: • Maintain eye contact…look at the person, not around the room • Be active and involved listeners (avoid too much conversation between team members) • Read each question slowly, as it is written • Try not to skip questions

11. Communicating and Listening • Some tips about using probes and re-phrasing: • Avoid interpreting the questions; your interpretation may be different from another interviewers • Rephrase or probe only after asking the question as it is written • Be careful not to change the meaning of the question • If the person asks for your opinion: • Tell the person that you are interested in what he or she thinks • Avoid interjecting your own feelings or ideas

12. What if… • Someone else wants to participate • You see something that places the person at risk • The person… • has difficulty understanding the question • digresses • appears to be upset • appears restless • wants your help to change something • wants to be interviewed by phone

13. Conducting Phone Interviews • Call ahead to schedule a convenient time • Have everything organized beforehand • Practice the interview ahead of time…you will feel more comfortable reading the questions over the phone • Modify the volume of your voice as needed, especially if the person is asking you to repeat questions • Avoid calling from a place or at a time where you are likely to be interrupted • Do not call from a cell phone

14. Accommodations • General Tips • Do not assume the person needs help…ask before you act • Speak directly to the person, not to his or her aide or interpreter

15. Accommodations What if the person… • Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing? • Use a qualified language interpreter • During the interview face the person • Make sure the room is quiet and well-lit • Speak clearly but do not raise your voice • Use a personal listening device to amplify your voice • Uses a wheelchair? • Avoid touching the wheelchair, it’s his or her personal space • Sit at eye level

16. Accommodations What if the person… • Is blind or visually impaired? • Identify yourself before shaking hands • Offer your arm • Avoid touching the person’s cane or guide dog • The lighting should be good, but not too much glare • Has difficulty being understood? • Spend time talking with the person beforehand • Just ask the person to repeat if you do not understand • Do not interrupt or complete sentences for the person

17. Conducting the interview in teams: things to consider so that the interview is positive for everyone 1. Assign a lead interviewer who will: • Take care of logistics • Assign tasks (e.g., who asks the questions/records answers) • Making sure the survey questions are all completed and submitted • Let the consumer know who is on the team 2. Everyone should know their role in the interview 3. Keep the focus of the interview on the individual 4. At the interview arrange the seating so that the individual can make eye contact with both team members 5. After the interview leave time to share impressions, compare what was learned from talking with the individual

18. Ending the Interview • Express your appreciation • Leave with a positive impression

19. References • Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association. “Disability Etiquette,” available through http://www.epva.org/. • Allen, Shea and Associates. “Increasing Your Opportunities for a Successful Conversation” from One Person at a Time, Volume 1, Number 3, available through http://www.allenshea.com/. • Allen, Shea and Associates. “Training Materials for Looking at Quality of Life: A Brief Primer on Basic Communication,” available through Allen, Shea and Associates, 1780 Third Street, Napa, CA 94559. • Center for Medicaid and State Operations, Division of Quality Monitoring and Improvement, handouts from the “Interviewing People with Developmental Disabilities” presentation on August 22, 1997.