1.4 Interviewing tips and sample questionnaires
Tips for conducting interviews
- Arrange the interview in advance and explain the purpose
of the interview.
- Find out about the person or people you are interviewing
in advance, if possible - the type of work they do, and what
subjects they are interested in.
- Write down a list of questions, allowing space between questions
to write down people’s responses. A tick or one-word
answer will help your interview flow.
- Think of an opening statement explaining why you are asking
these questions, such as: ‘We are planning to set up
a resource centre for … and want to ensure that it provides
services that you will find useful’.
- Keep interviews brief but cover enough to serve the purpose
(30 minutes).
- Finish by thanking the person and saying that when you have
completed the interviews and analysed the results, you will
distribute a summary of the main points.
1.4.1 Information needs assessment
questionnaire (example)
The following questions can be used for focus group discussions,
individual interviews or questionnaires. Possible answers to
some are listed. It sometimes helps to use these to prompt people.
If you use a questionnaire, list possible answers with a ‘tick
box’ beside them, so that people only need to tick a box.
1a. Please tell us briefly about the work
that you do.
For example, activities and tasks, people you provide services
to (your target audience)
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
1b. Please tell us briefly about the main health
problems (morbidity and mortality) in your area.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2a. Where do you currently get information?
□ government departments
□ NGOs
□ mass media
□ public libraries
□ other (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
2b. Is there a resource centre or library where
you have found information that is useful to you?
o yes
o no
If yes, where is it?
____________________________________________________________
3. What subjects do you need information about
and would you like to see contained in the proposed resource
centre?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
4. Which of the subjects you listed above are
most important?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
5a. What type of information would be useful,
and what would be the priority?
□ books
□ training materials
□ journals
□ newsletters
□ videos
□ other (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
5b. How might you use the different types
of information?
□ self-learning/awareness
□ teaching/training
□ working with the community
□ planning activities
□ other (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
5c. What balance would you like between printed
materials and audiovisual materials?
____________________________________________________________
6. What language(s) would you like materials
to be in?
____________________________________________________________
7. What geographical focus would be most useful?
□ local
□ national
□ regional and/or international (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
8. What services should the resource centre
provide?
□ lending
□ current awareness (informing users of newly received
materials)
□ resource lists
□ photocopying
□ advice on useful resources
□ other (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
9. What equipment and teaching aids would
you find useful?
□ video player
□ slide projector
□ overhead project
□ duplicating machine
□ photocopier
□ other (please specify)
____________________________________________________________
10a. Where would you like the resource centre
to be located?
10b. When would you like the resource centre
to be open
11. Are there any other issues that we should
take into consideration?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
