PMcrunch

How important are interviews to project management?  Suffice it to say that the success (and failure) of many projects rests on how well some interviews are conducted.  Much responsibility rides on the shoulders of the person using this tool of project communication and assessment.  Interviews, used in the right manner, can reveal the right candidate for a project and verify elements regarding procedures and practices involved.

An interview is basically a conversation, consisting of an interviewee and an interviewer.  Although the number of participants can increase, the most basic method with which an interview is carried out is the same: through interaction using question and answer. 

Uses of interviews

The most common use of an interview is to assess a person (usually the interviewee).  It can also be used to indirectly appraise a project produced.  Depending on the person conducting the interview and sometimes on the previous agreement made with the interviewee, an interview can be limiting or revealing.Interviews are also commonly used to obtain information, especially about a person, a project or another individual.  They can also be a means with which researches and studies are based. Here are but a few important uses of interviews in project management:

1. Gather requirements
2. Assess the importance of a consideration
3. Get feedback on a user interface
4. Market research
5. Gather stakeholder input and perspective
6. Hiring team members
7. Reviewing suppliers for procurement
8. Choosing providers for outsourcing

Regardless of their main purpose, interviews depend on one major factor to succeed: the interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee.

Forms of interviews

There are three basic forms of interviews:

1. Structured - A structured interview revolves around a stringent list of qualifying questions and premises.
2. Non-structured – A non-structure interview is much more relaxed and open ended.
3. Semi-structured - The semi-structured uses both elements freely. 

Each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages and may or may not be used depending on the end result desired.