Interview Questions Template

Research Topic

In this study, the research topic evaluates employee preferences for scheduling professional development opportunities, identifying the ideal timing to increase the accessibility of professional development opportunities. 

The Property of Interest is the preferred time and day for professional development opportunities to be offered. This includes evaluating whether the current schedule meets employees’ needs or if adjustments are needed. 

Pose a Question

Are employees dissatisfied with the current times and days professional development opportunities were offered last year and is significant improvement needed? 

Individual Question Design

In the table below, create 10 questions that support the purpose of the interview. Your questions should be open-ended or lead to another open-ended question. Please include a 2-3 sentence rationale for each question that speaks directly to how the interview questions will help to answer your research question. Reference the readings when possible.

Item #	Question	Rationale
1	What days and times during a typical workday do you find you are most available for professional development?	This question is setting the foundation of the interview and directly relates to the research topic. This question also relates to the property of interest in identifying the preferred timing of PD.
2	How many professional development opportunities have you attended this past semester?	This question leads into the next question and helps to learn how many professional development opportunities advisors have been able to participate in. Over the course of multiple interviews, this question can help identify an average number.
3	Do you feel that there are barriers preventing you from attending professional development opportunities?	This question was added to avoid leading the interviewee. The question establishes if the interviewee feels that there are obstacles preventing them from attending PD or not, rather than assuming they are experiencing barriers.
4	If yes, what are the main barriers that prevent you from attending?	This question builds off of the previous one if the interviewee stated that there are barriers preventing them from attending PD. It also helps to identify the specific barriers they are experiencing.
5	How does your workload fluctuate throughout the week?	This seeks to understand if workload is a specific barrier and how that may eb and flow throughout the week. This will help find preferred days for PD.
6	Would shorter sessions (an hour or less) offered more frequently (once a week) be appealing or do you prefer longer sessions (1:30-2 hours) offered less frequently (1-2 times per month) be preferred?	Another question to further explore barriers and preferences. This will help find preferences in the duration of future events.
7	Would you prefer in-person, hybrid, or fully virtual sessions?	This question seeks to understand the preferred delivery mode for workshops and sessions. A barrier to attending PD is often time, and traveling across campus for an in-person session may be difficult in the middle of the workday, while some advisors may find in-person to be more meaningful. This will help to narrow down which type of delivery model works best.
8	Original question: If sessions were recorded and available to watch at any time, would you have time to watch them? After interview, change to: If sessions were recorded and available online, how likely would you be to watch them?	Still addressing concerns over time and day, this question helps to understand if more flexibility through asynchronous learning would be preferred. This may also result in finding out that live sessions are more preferred.
9	How far in advance would you need to be notified about upcoming professional development opportunities?	Giving enough notice to advisors can help to get ahead of schedules filling up with appointments. This question will help in choosing how early notifications of events should be sent out.
10	Are there any other things impacting your ability to participate in professional development?	This final question gives the interviewee an opportunity to share any other reasons for why they may not be able to attend PD. It also provides opportunity for further input that was not covered in previous questions.

Interview Notes with advising colleague

1. What days and times during a typical workday do you find you are most available for professional development?

   1. Open on Mondays, Thursdays, and Friday mornings. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are booked for team meetings.

      
      

2. How many professional development opportunities have you attended this past semester?

   1. Attended three. One was the Mental Health First Aid Training, which was all day, and the others were 1 hour workshops - How to Write a Conference Proposal and Student Success Strategies. 

      
      

3. Do you feel that there are barriers preventing you from attending professional development opportunities?

   1. Yes

      
      

4. If yes, what are the main barriers that prevent you from attending?

   1. Too many appointments. Also depends on the time of year. Open enrollment times it’s nearly impossible to attend due to drop-in advising. 

      
      

5. How does your workload fluctuate throughout the week?

   1. Advising appointments are steady throughout the week, about 5-6 per day. Meetings are scheduled typically on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Friday functions as an admin day to catch up on emails and prep for events. 

      
      

6. Would shorter sessions (an hour or less) offered more frequently (once a week) be appealing or do you prefer longer sessions (1:30-2 hours) offered less frequently (1-2 times per month) be preferred?

   1. Shorter sessions preferred, usually not enough time to go to longer sessions. 

      
      

7. Would you prefer in-person, hybrid, or fully virtual sessions?

   1. Virtual is easier - avoid having to block time to walk across campus. 

      
      

8. If sessions were recorded and available to watch at any time, would you have to to watch them?

   1. It depends on the topic. Often forget to go back and watch them or have enough time to when other things need more attention.

      
      

9. How far in advance would you need to be notified about upcoming professional development opportunities?

   1. At least 2 weeks - advising appointments open up 2 weeks out at a time. 

      
      

10. Are there any other things impacting your ability to participate in professional development?

    1. Just time. My supervisor is supportive it, but due to the amount of advising appointments, emails, and event planning, there often isn’t enough time.