Interviewing Skills

Long before investigators analyse barriers, identify organisational influences or construct investigation diagrams, they first need to understand what happened through the people who were involved.

The quality of those conversations often determines the quality of the investigation itself. Even the most structured investigation methodology cannot compensate for poor interviewing.

Developing strong interviewing skills is therefore one of the most valuable investments an investigator can make.

Every Investigation Begins with a Conversation

Incident investigations are often associated with analytical methods, timelines and investigation diagrams. Yet none of these can compensate for incomplete, inaccurate or misunderstood information.

Investigations begin with conversations. If investigators fail to create openness, important operational details, contextual information and valuable learning opportunities may never surface.

In many investigations, the initial focus is on fact-finding. While establishing the facts is essential, meaningful organisational learning only begins when investigators move beyond what happened and seek to understand why the situation made sense to the people involved at the time.

That journey from facts to understanding is built on trust.

Psychological Safety Creates Better Information

People involved in incidents rarely enter an interview without concerns.

They may worry about:

• blame

• disciplinary consequences

• disappointing colleagues

• management reactions

• damage to their reputation

These concerns naturally influence what people are willing to share.

Creating psychological safety does not mean avoiding difficult questions.

It means creating an environment in which people feel safe enough to answer them honestly.

The investigator's role is not to interrogate. It is to understand.

Open Questions Reveal Operational Reality

The way a question is asked often determines the quality of the answer. Leading questions can unintentionally steer people towards defending themselves.

For example: "Did you follow the procedure?"

Open questions encourage people to reconstruct the situation from their own perspective.

For example:

• Can you walk me through what happened?

• What made sense to you at the time?

• What were you trying to achieve?

• What challenges were you dealing with?

• What was different from a normal day?

Good investigators seek understanding before explanation.

Listening Is More Important Than Talking

Interviewing is often associated with asking good questions. In reality, experienced investigators usually spend more time listening than speaking.

They pay attention to:

• hesitation

• uncertainty

• unexpected details

• contradictions

• changes in confidence

• what is not being said

Silence is not something to avoid. It often creates the space people need to continue telling their story. Sometimes the most valuable insight emerges several minutes after the original question has been asked.

Choosing Between Individual and Group Interviews

Both interview formats have advantages.

Group interviews may help investigators understand:

• operational interactions

• shared practices

• team coordination

• different perspectives on the same event

Individual interviews often provide greater psychological safety when discussing:

• mistakes

• uncertainty

• production pressure

• conflicting priorities

• concerns about management

There is no universal solution. Experienced investigators deliberately select the interview strategy that best supports openness and learning.

A Practical Example of Interviewing Skills

Following a maintenance incident, a technician initially explained that the task had been completed "as normal." Had the investigator accepted this answer, the interview would probably have ended within minutes.

Instead, the investigator remained curious. Rather than moving to the next question, they asked: "Can you show me how the task normally starts?"

As the conversation continued, the technician mentioned several interruptions during the work, uncertainty about the latest revision to the procedure, and increasing production pressure to restart the equipment quickly. Further discussion revealed that similar shortcuts had gradually become accepted within the team.

None of this information appeared in the initial explanation. It only surfaced because the investigator continued to listen, asked open questions, and allowed the story to unfold naturally.

Good interviews rarely produce immediate answers. They gradually reveal understanding.

Great Investigators Are Great Interviewers

Interviewing is not simply about collecting information. It is about helping people reconstruct how the situation made sense to them at the time.

When investigators create trust, ask meaningful questions and genuinely listen, they uncover the operational realities that shape incidents.

Developing strong interviewing skills therefore means developing stronger investigators.

And stronger investigators create better investigations.

"People don't reveal the truth because they're asked.

They reveal it because they feel safe enough to share it."

Continue Developing Your Investigation Capability

Effective interviewing is one of the most valuable capabilities an investigator can develop. Strong conversations uncover the operational realities, organisational conditions and human factors that shape incidents and enable meaningful organisational learning.

If you would like to continue developing your investigation capability, you may also be interested in:

• Investigation Capability

  Discover the knowledge, skills and mindset that enable investigators to conduct higher-quality investigations through curiosity, critical thinking and effective communication.

• What Makes a Good Incident Investigator? Explore the qualities that distinguish capable investigators and learn why interviewing skills are just one part of becoming an effective investigator.

• The Problem with 'Human Error' Discover why understanding context, rather than simply identifying human error, leads to deeper insights and more effective organisational learning.

• Tripod Beta Learning Events Explore our accredited learning events designed to strengthen investigation capability through practical learning, realistic case studies and continuous professional development.