How much do you really know?

I remember early in my career I was talking to a stakeholder about a potential training solution. I had it all planned out. I knew the objectives. I knew some cool new simulation software I knew I could use. I had some creative ideas about how to organize all the content. I even had some existing content all ready to go.

Then he had the gall to ask me questions!

How many are there? Do they all work here or do some work [in another building]? How long have they worked here on average? Do we have more new people or more experienced people? How well do they perform today in these tasks? How many have college degrees? Are there other jobs who do this same or similar work? Do they have to use [other software] to really do the job well? How many know [other software]?

And on and on and on.

I was shocked that he didn’t just go with my recommendations but I was blown away about how good these questions were and stymied about how I didn’t actually know the answers - which I should have. Every single question made me question my solution. He easily poked holes in my solution and while I wasn’t completely off base, there was a lot more to consider before I knew what we should do to address the training needs.

That was the first step I took to become more analytical and investigative about my learners. I took notes and started gathering all the various questions I’d use to learn more about my learners and more about what they should know and do in their jobs. I talked to my co-workers about it and got more ideas about things we should know. I talked to others at conferences and in online forums and the more projects I worked on, I tried out different questions and collected different data points and it directly related to better and better training solutions.

This turned into focused interviews I’d do at the beginning of every analysis. To conduct a successful interview with an expert and ensure they feel relaxed and willing to share valuable details about the job, it's vital to create a comfortable environment. Start off with sharing what your goals are. If they don’t know who you are, explain to them what data you are gathering and what you plan to do with it. Share how you’ll keep anything specific anonymous. You’ll only share the general data you gather and nothing about a particular person. I’ve had some experts wondering if I was there to find ways to eliminate jobs.

Express genuine interest in their expertise and past experiences. Make them feel at ease by engaging in small talk and finding common ground. During the interview, ask open-ended questions encouraging elaboration and allow them to showcase their knowledge and achievements. Avoid interrupting and actively listen to their responses. Employing active listening techniques such as nodding, paraphrasing, and maintaining eye contact can foster a sense of trust and encourage them to share more. Providing a structured format for the interview and setting expectations beforehand can also help the expert feel at ease.

During these interviews, I started to use some audio or video equipment. I’ve often gathered clips or snippets of content I can later use in the actual training itself. Of course before I bring in any equipment like that, I give them a heads up and get their permission. I tell them I won’t share anything they won’t want me to share. All the files are kept secure and they will see anything I use before I start using it.

To do this, I’ll sometimes just use a simple audio recorder for our conversation. I take notes but the recorder can do a better job of catching more subtle details such as where they get upset or where they are happy about particular details they share. Even better is to capture video and then even use video clips in either online or in workshops to share a real example of how an expert chooses to describe something. It can hit home much better than just reading it on a screen or reading a quote from a facilitator’s guide.

Again, give the expert a heads up well before the interview that you’d like to record them. Reassure them you will only use it if you have their permission and otherwise all the clips will remain secure and confidential.

To help with this, I highly recommend my book! In there I talk extensively about how to interview experts and you’ll also get access to downloadable resources including an interview guide and worksheet to walk through everything you’ll need to know about your learners when starting a new learning project.