How do you balance stakeholder needs in interviews?

1 Identify stakeholder needs

The first step to ensure stakeholder needs are balanced in interviews is to identify them. This can be done by asking yourself or your team questions such as who the primary and secondary stakeholders of the interview are, what their goals, expectations, and concerns are, how they will use or benefit from the interview results, and how they prefer to communicate and receive feedback. You can also consult with stakeholders directly or review existing documents such as project briefs, contracts, or proposals to gather additional information. By properly identifying stakeholder needs you can align your interview objectives, questions, and methods with them.

2 Prioritize stakeholder needs

The next step to balance stakeholder needs in interviews is to prioritize them. You may encounter situations where stakeholder needs are conflicting, competing, or unrealistic. For example, a client may want you to interview more participants than your budget allows, or a manager may want you to ask sensitive questions that may harm the rapport with the interviewees. To prioritize stakeholder needs, you can use criteria such as importance for the interview outcome and quality, urgency for the timeline and deliverables, feasibility for resources and constraints, and ethical considerations for participants and context. Additionally, you can use tools like matrices, charts, or rankings to visualize and compare stakeholder needs. By prioritizing these needs, you can decide which ones to address, negotiate, or compromise on.

3 Address stakeholder needs

The final step to balance stakeholder needs in interviews is to address them. You can do this by communicating and collaborating with stakeholders throughout the interview process, such as sharing your interview plan, questions, and criteria for feedback and approval before the interview. During the interview, it's important to follow your protocol and respect the rights and responsibilities of both the stakeholder and the interviewee. After the interview, analyze and report your findings, highlighting how they meet or exceed stakeholder needs. Additionally, you can use techniques such as active listening, empathy, and assertiveness to build trust and rapport with stakeholders, as well as handle any potential issues or conflicts that may arise. By addressing stakeholder needs in this manner, you can ensure that your interviews are both relevant and ethical.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?