Key stakeholder interviews

Objectives

Stakeholder interviews aim to elicit detailed information and opinions on an issue through wide-ranging discussion rather than specific questioning.

Method

• Select interviewees according to designated criteria (areas of expertise, representation of groups, complementary of skills for committees).
• Arrange times and places for interviewing. Better quality information will be forthcoming if the interviewee is in a familiar setting, so it may be easier for the interviewer to go to them.
• Ensure uninterrupted time for at least one hour.
• Check all equipment and take spare tapes, batteries, pens, etc. to avoid any interruptions during the interview.
• Try to transcribe interview notes as soon as possible after the interview, while nuances, body language and asides are still in the interviewer’s memory.
• Prepare a report, including the verbatim interviews, and offer copies to the interviewees.

Source

1. A Key stakeholder interview guide:
2. http://www.esf-agentschap.be/uploadedFiles/Voor_ESF_promotoren/Zelfevaluatie_ESF-project/m_e_tool_series_indepth_interviews.pdf

A specific form of stakeholder interviews is semi-structured interviewing (SSI). Please see the following link for more information on SSI: http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5307e/x5307e08.htm