The FinLab Toolkit

HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN | DISCOVERY

Expert Interviews

30 Min+

Experts are academicians, thinkers, professionals, and entrepreneurs who can provide an informed view on a research subject. Expert Interviews are interactions with experts that inform research, design, and testing.

USE CASES

  • Build a foundational understanding of a given subject matter.
  • Source inputs on specific challenges and opportunities.
  • Evaluate proposed ideas and innovations through expert lens.

LIMITATIONS

Experts usually have limited time available. They may on occasions need to be monetarily rewarded for sharing their experiences and expertise.

UNDERSTANDING THE TOOL

  • The crucial part of expert interviews is the preparation. Participants should familiarise themselves with an expert’s prior work, and prepare a few notes to refer back to during the interview.
  • The ‘Interview Questions’ are the most important questions to focus on in the interviews.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Prepare for interview: First, learn about the expert, their professional journey, published papers, lectures, etc. to inform the discussion you are about to have. Next, outline key lines of enquiry and questions for the expert.
  2. Conduct the interview: Start the interview by introducing yourself and building credibility. Go through the questions you have and take notes (record audio if you have received consent).

HOW TO FOR FACILITATORS

  1. At the start: Help participants clearly identify key lines of enquiry.
  2. During the exercise: Check on the profile of experts that teams intend to reach out to. Help teams formulate the right questions.
  3. At the close: Have participants rehearse interview. After the interviews are done, ask teams to share their learnings.

FACILITATORS QUESTION BANK

  • What are the main information gaps you would like clarity on? Refer to the problem tree and stakeholder mapping if you are not sure where to start.
  • Why do you need to do expert research?
  • Who are the experts you want to speak to? Why these experts?
  • How and where will you reach your experts?
  • Do you have previous experience interviewing experts? Would you like to share any best practices with the group?
  • How much time will they be able to give to you? How do you want to prioritise questions accordingly?
  • Have you read or reviewed the experts' works? Are there questions that emerged from that activity?

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