Here is an example of some interview questions that my students came up with
last quarter for a project at Boeing.

Nancy

------- Forwarded Message

This is the set of interview questions we've come up with so far.  I've 
added a purpose section to each questions to make it easier to understand 
what was intended.  Keep in mind that this is a general framework of what 
we'd like to ask.  For some individuals, such as the high level managers,
it may only be appropriate to ask a subset of these questions.  For 
others you may want to ask additional questions.


INTRODUCTION
Goal:  Introduce ourselves and our project to the interviwees
	
	To be completed............................


BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Goal:  Find out who the user is and where they are coming from

	- What type of work do you do?
	  	purpose:  Find out what their job is. Icebreaker.

VISION I
Goal:  Find out the users overall vision of the system

	- How would the ideal system help you?
		purpose:  Find out what it can do for them.

	- What do you think is the overall goal of the system?
		purpose:  Find out what they think the goal is.

	- What do you think it is to be used for?	
		purpose:  Find out how they think it is to be used.


DATA MODEL
Goal:  Find out what information the users uses, where do they 
get it, how is it used, and who uses it.

	- What types of project information do you use?
	   	purpose:  Find out their information requirements.  
		What is the purpose of this information?  How does it
		help them perform their job?

	- What types (of project information) are most important to you?	
	        purpose:  Find out what information is valuable to them
		and what is used the most often.  Is this difficult to find?
		What information requires the most attention?  

	- How do you collect this information?
		purpose:  Find out where they get this information from now.
		How difficult is it to collect, does it come from a 
		single source or multiple sources?

	- How long does it take?
		purpose:  Determine how long this process takes them.	

	- How is this information stored?
	        purpose:  Find out what form this information is stored in.
		Is it online, in a database, Excel, Word, etc. or on paper?

	- What form is this information given to you?
		purpose:  Find out how this infomation is communicated. 
		Is it gathered on-line, from databases, from hard-copies, etc. 

	- Who uses this information?
		purpose:  Find out what types of people/groups/customers 
		use this information.

	- How is this information used?
		purpose:  Find out what they use this information for.
	      
	- Are there standard methods of reporting this information?
		purpose:  Find out what standards exist (if any).

	- What forms and reports are used?
	        purpose:  Find out what forms and reports do they use?  
		What do they use most often?  Ask to see samples if they
		have time.	  


VISION II
Goal:  Find out the users overall vision for the system.

	- What (functionality) would you like to see?
	        purpose:  Find out if what else they would like to see
		the system do.  Examples would be helpful.

	- What do you think is most important for this system to do?
		purpose:  Find out what is the most useful service
		the system can provide.

	- What do you want it to accomplish?
		purpose:  Find out what they personally would like
		the system to do.


CURRENT SYSTEM
Goal:  Find out how (if) they use the current system, their likes and 
       dislikes.

	- Have you used the current system?  How long?
	       purpose:  Understand what their background.  Why have they
	       used the system?

	- How often do you use the current system?
	       purpose:  Find out how frequently they use it. 

	- What do you like about the current system?
	       purpose:  Find out what features/functions were useful
	       so we can keep them in our design

	- What do you not like?
	       purpose:  Find out what they disliked or found difficult.

	- How do you think it could be improved?
	        purpose:  Find out if they have a way they would like to 
	        see the system improved

	- Does the current system connect related data?
	        purpose:  Can they get to the information they would 
		like to see (such as in querying and trying to locate
		data)

	- What are the main tasks you use the system for?
	        purpose:  Find out more specifically what they use the 
		system for.  They may be using it in a way the designers
		hadn't foreseen.

	- How frequently do you perform these tasks?
		purpose:  Find out often they do these tasks.  Which do 
		they do the most often?

	- How are these tasks accomplished?
		purpose:  Have them describe what they need to do.  
		How difficult is it for them to get what they need?  
		Have them show you an example of what they do if 
		they have time.

	- Do you enter data?  Incrementally?  How is this done?
		purpose:  Have them describe what they do to enter data. 
		How difficult is it for them?  Have them show you an example
		of what they do if they have time.

	- How do you make reports?
		purpose:  Have them describe what they do to make a report.
		How difficult is it for them?  Have them show you an example
		of what they do if they have time.


AVAILABILITY/WILLINGNESS
Goal:  Find out if they are willing to meet with us again

	- Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
		purpose:  Find out if they have something else they want 
		us to know. 

  	- Would you be available and willing to answer questions and give 
	  feedback in the future?
		purpose:  Find out if we can talk with them further if we have
		any more questions and if they would be willing to participate
		in future surveys and interviews.