What is your interview plan?

Interviewing lies at the heart of any investigation. From the most complex criminal matters through to safeguarding individuals from harm, in addition to disciplinary matters within businesses and organisations. From multi-million-pound corporations, governing bodies and small businesses to education, health and social services.

To ensure the correct decisions are made surrounding any matter or allegation, it is likely there will be the need to forensically interview individuals concerned. This means you should be planning how, when and where you will conduct the interview.

Interviewing is not just a natural way of speaking to individuals; it is a structured conversation where one party asks questions and another party provides responses. A well-planned interview should provide the interviewer with information needed to make decisions or bring about a resolution.

For example, consider you are employed by a large organisation, and a safeguarding or a disciplinary matter is brought to your attention. To bring a resolution to the matter, you may need to interview the individuals concerned. These could be children or adults, they may have mental health issues, they may be line managers within the organisation and any one of them could be a witness, a complainant or a perpetrator.

What is your interview strategy?

Where in your investigation plan does it fit?

Who will you interview first?

What are your key considerations to make this interview as effective as possible, to ensure accurate and detailed information is obtained and can be used in the resolution of the matter?

Have you evaluated your interview afterwards?

Interview plans and techniques will be regular discussions on our blogs and will form part of our workshops.

Interviewing is a skill that requires practice and evaluation. If you’re empowered within your role to carry out interviews, make sure you get them right. Keep an eye out for our workshops.