Help I’ve Lost My Voice! How Evaluators Can Get Interviews Gone Awry Back on Track

Ask any evaluator, and they likely all have at least one story where an interview went awry – where they felt as if they lost their voice in leading the discussion. While most data collection may run smoothly, veteran and junior evaluators alike can be confronted with difficult personalities, biases, or behaviors that impede our data collection efforts. This can range from interviewees who seek to obstruct the facts or do not provide sufficient information, to those that are overly eager and create obstacles for interviewers to squeeze in questions. These situations may be particularly felt by historically underrepresented groups and young or emerging evaluators. The good news is there are tactics interviewers can use to build trust and get conversations back on track to capture needed data. This demonstration will provide an in-depth exploration of best practices for finding your voice and skillfully leading interviews, including creative solutions evaluators can employ to manage difficult situations. This session will include real-life scenarios from past evaluations and invite participants from all backgrounds to share their own experiences, questions, and recommendations.