Design Principles for Interviews

Design Principles:

Flexibility:
The ability to start with a big/broad question that can have a multitude of answers, then be able to pick questions based on the prior response. The interviewer should be able to work without a script and keep the interview fluid and not suddenly jump between subjects.

Example: HARWOOD: Does that mean you can do everything that you have been campaigning on and spend $700 billion on this bailout?
….
HARWOOD: And what about on the spending side?
….
HARWOOD: So no change in your health care plan?

From this example, we see that Harwood asks questions that have to do with Obama’s previous answer. He doesn’t go off a script and instead flows in the direction of the conversation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21text-obama.html



Background knowledge:
To be able to ask specific questions that you know the interviewee has an answer for in order to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. This also includes the ability to maintain the interviewee’s interest by keeping them in mind when writing the questions.

Example: HARWOOD: It looks as if there's the bipartisan will to move this through quickly in Congress, and if that happens then the government will have just taken on $700 billion of obligations that you haven't planned on throughout your two-year campaign for president. So how do you adjust your agenda in light of that, whether it's the scale of your plans for spending on health care, energy or other issues, whether it's on the advisability of raising taxes on capital gains and dividends, even staffing your administration? Would you ask Hank Paulson, for example, to stay on as Treasury secretary?

In this example, he states an event that might happen, then asks a question about it. He has obviously done some research on the subject in order to know about this, and it has helped him choose a good specific answer that the audience would like to know.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21text-obama.html




Questions that can have a comprehensive answers:

Simple, specific questions that lead to long, specific and comprehensive answers, and broad questions that can lead to open ended, yet still comprehensive answers. This also includes the ability to keep the two different types of questions/answers balanced, in order to receive a wide range of answers in a good amount of time.

Example: HARWOOD: Last question. Given all that, as we head toward the first debate you're locked in a very close race, perhaps you're slightly ahead. But some people look at what's going on in the economy and other political circumstances and think you should be doing better. Some people say it's because you're aloof, some people say you're cerebral, John McCain says you're not ready to lead, some people think it may have something to do with your race. Why do you think, especially on the economy, you have not connected better than you have so far?

In this example, Harwood states a specific question so that he can get the information he needs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21text-obama.html