SITE VISIT

GUIDANCE
Table of Contents

Stage 3: Preparing for the Site Visit .............................................................................................................................................. 2

Site Visit Issue Development .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
One Approach to Identifying SVIs ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Instructions for Preparing SVI Worksheets ............................................................................................................................. 5-6
SVI Process Worksheet ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
SVI Results Worksheet ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Process Item Examples .............................................................................................................................................................. 9-10
Results Item Examples ................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Dos and Don’ts in Site Visit Questions ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Types of Interview Questions ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
Sample Site Visit Questions .......................................................................................................................................................... 14
Site Visit Walk-Around Questions .............................................................................................................................................. 15
Effective Interviewing Steps ........................................................................................................................................................ 16
Interview Tips & Techniques ........................................................................................................................................................ 17
Document Log ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Interview Log .................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

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 Stage 3: Site Visit

Preparing for the Site Visit

In preparation for the site visit, each team member will be named the Item Lead for several Process
Items and/or Results Items. There are two major types of documents, the Consensus Scorebook and
Site Visit Issue (SVI) Worksheet that will become part of the Feedback Report submitted to the
judges.

The Item Lead will start from a Consensus Scorebook Worksheet and will complete an SVI Worksheet,
transferring SVIs from the Consensus Scorebook Worksheet to an SVI worksheet for each SVI.

Consensus Scorebook Worksheet SVI Worksheets

Item Worksheet—Item 6.1

Prepare one Item Worksheet for each Item, capturing the 6–10 most important strengths and opportunities for improvement based on
the applicant’s response to the Criteria requirements and its key business/organization factors.

Comments Table Legend:

#: Number each comment for easier reference during consensus
ID: Include your examiner initials to identify it as your comment during consensus
Item Ref: Identify the complete Area to Address for easier sorting during consensus. Example: 1.1a1
KF Ref: Include a reference to the most relevant key factor(s).
Eval: Include an indication of which process evaluation factors are addressed in this comment
(A=Approach D=Deployment L=Learning I=Integration)
++/ --: Indicate the relative importance/strength of the comment by using ++ or - - as appropriate.

KEY FACTORS
Indicate the 4–6 most important key business/organization factors relevant to this Item.
2. In 2002, organization exited food pantry and soup kitchen services to focus on food banking as core competency. Aims to provide best foods,
at the right time, to the right place.
6. Mission: A community-based food bank dedicated to feeding the hungry residents of its communities
17. Four major customer/stakeholder/market segments, each with specific requirements: customers (member agencies), stakeholders
(governments, organizations, taxpayers), community segments, donors/suppliers.
19. Food suppliers and partners provide food, facilitate innovation, broaden the organization’s reach, and improve core processes; finances and
services suppliers and partners provide funds for food and activities, donate in-kind support, fund improved organizational capabilities,
provide fiduciary controls, and volunteer.
25. Key success factors: its ability to feed the food-insecure through member agencies, network of food suppliers, tight management of overhead
costs (12.1% of operating expenses), volunteer base, and food availability and quality
31. Performance improvement system: Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Process

1 AA, 6.1a1 2,17 AD + During the 1997 strategic planning retreat, senior leaders identified four core competencies
BB, LI based on member agency needs. These core competencies were determined to be the four
CC hunger-reducing processes of Collection Management, Sort and Package Management,
Inventory Management, and Distribution Management (Figure 6.1-2). They relate to the
organization’s mission by securing, producing, and delivering nutritional and balanced food
products and services. In each subsequent SPP cycle, the organization reevaluates its core
competencies to ensure that they still meet customer and stakeholder needs.
2 AA, 6.1b1 6,25 AD + The applicant’s key work processes include its hunger-reducing and support processes
BB I (Figures 6.1-1, 6.1-2, and 6.2-1). These relate to its core competencies by enabling the
organization to effectively and efficiently supply and distribute food products to member
agencies, which, in turn, distribute them to the food-insecure. Key process requirements, or
CTQ indicators, are related to the value each brings to member agencies, profitability,
organizational success, and sustainability.

3 AA, 6.1b2 17, AD + The organization uses its CTQ Determination Process to determine and validate key work
BB LI process requirements (Figures 6.1-2 and 6.2-1), incorporating input from customers, suppliers,
6.1b3 31, and partners. The Program/Operations Committee and the Program Director/CFO use input
19 gathered in the SPP, the CTQ Determination Process, and the PDCA Process to design work
processes to meet key requirements. Recent refinements, including the current development
of a scorecard and the mapping of key processes and sub processes, are evident for these
approaches.

2
Site Visit Issue Development–General Information

Purpose
The quality of the Site Visit Issue (SVI) Worksheets developed by a Team is to a large degree
responsible for the efficiency, effectiveness, and eventual success of the entire site visit. These sheets
are used to construct the schedule, allocate team members’ time, request additional information, and
focus the team’s discussions. Time spent developing well-crafted SVI Worksheets will be amply repaid
once the visit begins.

Key Issues in SVI Development

• Identification of SVIs must be thoughtful. If the team developed site visit issues as part of
consensus, it may be worth revisiting these to ensure ample thought was given to their selection.
Often times, SVI discussions are glossed over in an effort to finish up an Item. Proceeding to craft a
plan for a poorly conceived SVI is inefficient and can leave a team without critical information in
the post-site phase.

• Development of SVIs must be strategic. While much of the content of an SVI Worksheet is tactical,
the identification and use of SVIs must be strategic. The team must balance the need to verify and
clarify as much key information as possible with the reality that no more than three to four SVI
Worksheets per Item can be managed given the logistics of a site visit. This means that SVIs work
best when written and understood at the key process level, rather than focusing on specific gaps
or insufficiencies.

• Development of SVIs is a process of integration. To be strategic, construction of an SVI needs to

draw on multiple comments, multiple Item Worksheets, and the key themes. It may be tempting
to develop SVIs by deconstructing single comments and substituting “clarify” for each “it is not
clear.” This approach tends to yield a rather fragmented investigation and does not provide the
rich understanding needed for a high-quality scorebook. Instead, using the idea of key processes,
an SVI can be developed by looking across comments, Item Worksheets, and key themes to
combine multiple dimensions of the process that need to be explored.

• Integration is not the same thing as addition. In dealing with the challenge described above, it can
be equally tempting to put as many issues as possible into a single SVI. This is not helpful when
those issues are not related to the same key process. This creates a patchwork SVI Worksheet that
will be confusing to the Team. If the issues will not be investigated by the same methods—talking
to the same people, reviewing the same documents, making the same observations—it is
probably not appropriate to combine them.

• SVIs can be a key source of shared understanding for the team. If the entire team is involved in
developing and vetting SVIs, team members will enter the site visit with a common view of how
well they understand the applicant and an appreciation for their individual roles in filling in any
gaps. Allowing individual team members to “own” particular issues can lead to difficulties in
coming to consensus later in Stage 3. It is therefore important to spend time as a team examining
and critiquing SVIs during planning, during the initial team meeting on site, and throughout the
visit.

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One Approach to Identifying SVIs
1. To understand the key processes involved, review the key inputs to the Item that you
are working on—Criteria requirements, key factors, and application.

2. Realizing that all opportunities for improvement (OFIs) must be clarified, look at your
OFIs. To which key processes are they related? Are any the same? Could they be
combined?

3. What about the strengths from this Item? If any involve the same key processes as the
OFIs, can they realistically be combined and verified at the same time?

4. Remember that all bold comments also must be verified. If these are present and do
not touch on key processes already identified, they will have to be dealt with as well.
This may require writing a separate SVI.

5. Look at the key themes. Do they touch on any of the processes identified before? If so,
the team will want to note this so that they are sure to gather information to help with
understanding of the applicant at this level as well.

6. Check any cross-references you may have noted to comments on other worksheets.
Might the investigation of your key processes be the most efficient place to
verify/clarify these comments? Conversely, might these issues be more efficiently dealt
with as part of another Category/Item?

7. Has this approach yielded 2 to 4 Site Visit Issues per Criteria item that will both deepen
the team’s understanding of the maturity of the applicant’s key processes, and provide
the specific information necessary to verify and clarify the comments in the consensus
scorebook? If so, great! Vet them with the team to make sure there is consensus. If not,
take a hard look at the issues described above for creative ways to structure your SVIs
and seek out input from your backup and/or Team Leader.

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 Instructions for Preparing Site Visit Issue (SVI) Worksheets

After the Consensus:

1. Document Site Visit Issues as they are identified in the Consensus process for your assigned Item. The
team will consense on the SVIs and you can bullet them at the bottom of your Item Worksheet. Keep
in mind that all of your OFIs must be clarified at site visit.

2. The next step is to develop two to four Site Visit Issues (SVIs) based on your bullet points. The
SVIs should be developed at the key process level. These should be listed below the comments on
the Consensus Item Worksheet. (See examples of SVIs included on the Site Visit Item Worksheet
that follows these instructions.)
a. To understand the key processes involved, review the key inputs to the Item that you are
working on: Criteria requirements, key factors, and comments.
b. Select one OFI, since all must be clarified, and determine to which key process it relates.
Include the process evaluation factors (ADLI for Process Items and LeTCI for Results Items)
addressed in the comment in your SVI.
c. Review other OFIs and strengths to determine if the issues related to that key process can be
clarified and verified through one integrated SVI.
d. Craft your SVI by converting your comment(s) to a clarify statement.
e. When all OFIs are addressed, check to make sure all bolded strengths (significant strengths)
will be verified. If not, it may be necessary to craft a separate SVI.

Note: Integration of SVIs is not the same thing as addition. It can be tempting to put as many
issues as possible into a single SVI. This is not helpful when those issues are not related to the
same key process. This creates a patchwork SVI worksheet that will be confusing to the team and
the Judges. If the issues will not be investigated by the same methods, i.e. talking to the same
people, reviewing the same documents, making the same observations; then, it is probably not
appropriate to integrate them.

3. Note that the “Findings” section of the worksheet focuses on the key conclusions that must be drawn
to either verify or clarify the comments associated with the SVI. To accomplish this, you will need to
closely analyze the comments that you are attempting to investigate and identify the core questions
that must be answered to draw conclusions about the accuracy of your original comments. These
core questions should be crafted to address the process evaluation factors (A,D,L,I) included in the
comments.

4. Strategy for investigating the core questions can include the names and job titles of people to
interview, questions to ask, and documents to review.

Note: SVIs will frequently involve elements of key themes. The team leader should ensure that the key
themes will be verified and clarified through the collective SVIs. SVIs can be a key source of shared
understanding for the team. If the entire team is involved in developing and vetting SVIs before the Sunday
meeting, team members will enter the site visit with a common view of how well they understand the
applicant and an appreciation for their individual roles in filling in any gaps. Allowing individual team

5
members to “own” particular issues can lead to difficulties in coming to consensus during site visit. It is
therefore important to spend time as a team examining and critiquing SVIs during the consensus process,
during the initial team meeting on site, and throughout the visit.

On Site (at the applicant’s location(s):

5. As you interview applicant employees/staff/faculty/volunteers and review documents, summarize the
evidence to support a conclusion to the “Strategy” section and enter under “Findings.” This should
guide you in determining when you have collected enough information. For Results Items, include
descriptions of any other graphs and charts that you reviewed (you may not have a Figure number if
they were not included in the application).

6. In presenting this evidence, be sure to provide your teammates and the judges with enough detail to
allow them to evaluate your conclusion. Brief citations of the source of the data should be included,
such as “in interview with seven hiring managers”, “Through analysis of the past three year’s SPP input
documents” and “during walk around interviews with approximately 24 staff from all levels and
departments.”

7. You will then write a succinct conclusion under the “Impact on comment” drawing upon the
evidence presented. It is essential that you have answered the questions for each SVI, thus
“closing” the SVI before completing the on-site phase of the site visit.

8. Your conclusion will tie directly to changes you will make, if any, in the original comments. Summarize
your conclusions on the SVI Worksheet, and note the “Impact on Comment” to identify whether the
conclusions will affect the score.

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 OQF Process Site Visit Issue Worksheet

Item #______ Type: Str OFI Comment#: _____ Double? ______

Evaluation Factor(s): A ( B O M ) D L I Linkages:________________________
Consensus Comment (copy and paste here):

Strategy
# Question to ask / issue to investigate Person/Group to Interview Examiner(s)
or Document to Review
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Findings (What observations, specific answers, and/or updated results did you find during the site visit?):

Impact on Comment: (i.e. No change to comment; rewrite as Str or OFI; key changes to make)

7
 SWAE Results Site Visit Issue Worksheet

Item #______ Type: Str OFI Comment#: _____ Double? ______

Evaluation Factor(s): Le ( B O M ) T C I Linkages:________________________
Consensus Comment (copy and paste here):

Strategy
# Question to ask / issue to investigate Fig # Person/Group to Interview Examiner(s)
or Document to Review
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Findings (What observations, specific answers, and/or updated results did you find during the site visit?):

Impact on Comment: (i.e. No change to comment; rewrite as Str or OFI; key changes to make)

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 Example: Multiple Comments Can Be Integrated into SVIs
Item Strength /OFI Comments at
Ref Consensus
5.1c(1) The applicant identifies
characteristics and skills needed by
potential staff by working with
hiring managers to identify and
embed in job descriptions the
required characteristics and skills in
four competency areas: (1) clinical
or technical, (2) team, (3) cultural,
and (4) service. These competency
areas are a key input on workforce
capabilities, as are gaps and
anticipated changes in the
environment. All are addressed as
part of long-term workforce
planning during the SPP.
5.1c(2) Recruitment priorities start with
internal staff members, then focus
on local community, state, and
national recruitment pools, to help
ensure that staff members reflect
the local communities’ diverse
thinking, ideas, and culture. During
the hiring process, a panel of
volunteers and staff members
representing the communities
where the new staff will serve
conducts behavior-based interviews
addressing key characteristics and
skills. Volunteers also go through a
matching process.
5.1c(1,2) While the applicant identifies skills
and characteristics for its staff in
four competency areas, it is not
evident how skills and
characteristics are identified for its
volunteers, who are closely
integrated members of the CM
delivery model and whose actions
contribute to the applicant’s
performance and achievement of its
VMV. In addition, it is unclear how
the applicant systematically ensures
recruitment and retention of its
volunteer workforce.
Comments Converted to SVIs Integrated SVIs for
One SVI Worksheet
Verify that the applicant identifies
characteristics and skills needed  Verify the
applicant’s
by potential staff by working with
hiring managers to identify and recruitment and
embed in job descriptions the hiring process
required characteristics and skills including the use of
in four competency areas: (1) four competency
clinical or technical, (2) team, (3) areas to identify skills
cultural, and (4) service; and that needed by new
they are all addressed as part of employees and
long-term workforce planning
during the SPP. behavior based
interviews to evaluate
these skills during
interviews.
 Clarify if these
Verify behavior-based interviews processes are utilized
addressing key characteristics and with the volunteer
skills are conducted during the
workforce.
hiring process, by a panel of
volunteers and staff members
representing the communities
where the new staff will serve, and
that the process includes
volunteers.
Clarify how skills and
characteristics are identified for its
volunteers, who are closely
integrated members of the CM
delivery model and whose actions
contribute to the applicant’s
performance and achievement of
its VMV. Also clarify how the
applicant systematically ensures
recruitment and retention of its
volunteer workforce.
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 Example: Changes in Comments Based on SVI Findings – Process Items
Item Strength /OFI Comments at Summary of Strength Comments after Site Visit
Ref Consensus Conclusions and
Impact on
Comments

5.1c(1) The applicant identifies The applicant identifies characteristics

characteristics and skills needed by
potential staff by working with hiring
managers to identify and embed in
job descriptions the required
characteristics and skills in four
competency areas: (1) clinical or
technical, (2) team, (3) cultural, and
(4) service. These competency areas
are a key input on workforce
capabilities, as are gaps and
anticipated changes in the
environment. All are addressed as
part of long-term workforce
planning during the SPP.
and skills needed by potential staff
Based on findings and volunteers by working with
from 2nd OFI hiring managers to identify and
below, embed in job descriptions the
recruitment and required characteristics and skills in
hiring process for four competency areas: (1) clinical or
volunteers is technical, (2) team, (3) cultural, and (4)
same as for service. These competency areas are a
employees. key input on workforce capabilities, as
are gaps and anticipated changes in
the environment. All are addressed as
part of long-term workforce planning
Add “volunteers” during the SPP.
to comment

5.1c(2) Recruitment priorities start with
internal staff members, then focus
on local community, state, and
national recruitment pools, to help
ensure that staff members reflect the
local communities’ diverse thinking,
ideas, and culture. During the hiring
process, a panel of volunteers and
staff members representing the
communities where the new staff
will serve conducts behavior-based
interviews addressing key
characteristics and skills. Volunteers
also go through a matching process.
Overall approach Recruitment priorities start with
is verified, internal staff members, then focus on
however, it has local community, state, and national
not been recruitment pools, to help ensure that
deployed to the staff members reflect the local
Mojave locations. communities’ diverse thinking, ideas,
and culture. Many sites now utilize a
panel of volunteers and staff
Comment is members representing the
rewritten communities where the new staff will
serve to conduct behavior-based
interviews addressing key
characteristics and skills. Volunteers
New OFI is added
also go through a matching process.
below

5.1c(1,2) While the applicant identifies skills

and characteristics for its staff in four Recruitment REMOVED
competency areas, it is not evident
how skills and characteristics are process for
identified for its volunteers, who are volunteers found
closely integrated members of the to be same as all
CM delivery model and whose other employees.
actions contribute to the applicant’s
performance and achievement of its
VMV. In addition, it is unclear how OFI is removed
the applicant systematically ensures
recruitment and retention of its
volunteer workforce.

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Results Item Example: Changes in Comments Based on SVI Findings – Results Findings
Item Strength /OFI Comments at
Ref Consensus
7.1a Favorable trends on a number of
screening and prevention
measures for lifestyle risk factors,
behavioral health, and cancer are
demonstrated. These include the
following measures: screening for
smoking measures improving
from 45% in 1999 to more than
80% in 2005, with better than the
90th percentile comparison in
2004 and 2005 (Figure 7.1-1b);
and screening for depression and
for domestic violence
demonstrating improved
performance from 2002 to 2005,
with both areas demonstrating
nearly 60% improvement and
recent levels at or near the state-
best comparison CHCs (Figures
7.1-2a and 7.1-2b).
7.1a There is an absence of measures
related to some of the
requirements identified as
patient and other customer
requirements in Figure P.1-5. For
example, although many
measures for participation in
screening and health care
delivery processes are presented
with favorable results, no results
are presented related to patient
safety or functional status.
Summary of Strength Comments after Site Visit
Conclusions and Impact
on Comment
Comment verified; Favorable trends on a number of
trends further improving screening and prevention measures
with 2006 data. for lifestyle risk factors, behavioral
health, and cancer are demonstrated.
These include the following
measures: screening for smoking
measures improving from 45% in
1999 to more than 82% in 2006, with
better than the 90th percentile
comparison in 2004, 2005, and 2006
(Figure 7.1-1b); and screening for
depression and for domestic
violence demonstrating improved
performance from 2002 to 2006, with
both areas demonstrating nearly
60% improvement and recent levels
at or near the state-best comparison
CHCs (Figures 7.1-2a and 7.1-2b).
Patient safety measures There is an absence of measures
are available as related to some of the features
described above. identified as patient and other
Applicant is in early customer requirements in P.1-5 (Key
stages of using this data Requirements for Key Customers,
and therefore, a strength timely and convenient access to care
will not be added. and information, patient-centered
Remainder of OFI will service, equitable care, and personal
remain and will be relationships and partnerships).
updated as follows: Although many measures for
participation in screening and health
care delivery processes are
presented with favorable results,
there are no results presented
related to functional status.
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 The Do’s and Don’ts in developing and delivering site visit questions:
DO…
• Use clear and simple language in the question. Make sure that the respondent understands your
question (e.g., “I am not sure you understood the question. Let me rephrase it…”)
• Assume that the application is truthful and honest. Ask for backup or examples that verify.
• Cover ALL site visit issues with questions.
• Ask questions that require a narrative answer rather than a “Yes” or “No” response.
• Be an active listener. Respond with appropriate short comments or gestures but avoid evaluative
comments, expressions, and reactions.
• Ask the respondent to expand on their answer where the first answer is not clear or where further
explanation is needed. Don’t be afraid to confess ignorance of their technology or processes.
• Ask for physical evidence where appropriate (e.g., reports, agendas, records). Where no physical
evidence is possible, ask for a description of the process or results.
• Call the respondent by name (be personal in the interview) but don’t phrase questions in such a
way that responsibility or fault is assigned to the respondent (e.g., Instead of saying “How do
YOU…” ask “How does your organization...”)
• Consider information regarding updates that have been made since the application was written.
• Always give respondents the opportunity to provide any additional information they may desire at
the end of the session.
• Remember…you are a friendly examiner, not a prosecuting attorney.

AVOID…
• Avoid questions that seem challenging or threatening. Avoid questions that are outside of the
respondent’s area of responsibility or knowledge.
• Avoid being prescriptive in the question (e.g., Do not ask “Do you use XYZ Technique?”)
• Avoid evaluative statements in your question (e.g., “Your complaint management system was
considered very weak. Can you tell us how you would…”)
• Avoid questions that are too broad in scope. Break these questions into more manageable,
addressable bites.
• Avoid “leading” questions or “coaching” to elicit an answer. Your questions should not have a right
or wrong answer.
• Avoid probing for information that was missing in the application.
• Avoid using jargon or “in-house” terminology from your own organization. Use the organization’s
terminology where appropriate.
• Avoid getting into a long discussion of the history of the company, the technology, the industry, or
other factors that might be interesting but not germane to the purpose of the site visit. Ask only the
questions needed to verify and clarify the application.
• Avoid cutting an answer short unless the respondent is providing completely irrelevant
information.

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 Types Of Interview Questions

Open Questions:
◆Ask Why, What, When, Where, How, Describe, Tell, Explain
◆Allow for a variety of answers (more than one word)
◆Require thought before answering
◆Encourage someone to elaborate or to offer a more complete description (clarify)
◆Elicit involvement
◆Assist in clarifying issues

Closed Questions:
◆Ask Do, Can, Have, Will, Who, Which
◆Are answered in a few words
◆Most often are associated with a “yes/no” response
◆Gain clarification as to whether or not heard, saw, said or received something
◆Verify understanding

Probing Questions:
◆Are follow-up questions based on responses provided to open or closed questions
◆Can be open or closed
◆Can be planned or impromptu
◆Ask for explanations, additions, etc.
◆Ask for clarification/elaboration

Paraphrasing
◆Use paraphrasing to verify your understanding of the applicant’s response to your
question.

“So, what you’re saying is that the... Is that correct?”

Refocusing
◆At times it may become necessary to refocus or re-direct the group to ensure
coverage of the interview plan.

“Let’s focus on the aspect of…How would you describe…?”

“Thank you, I believe we have enough information on this topic. I’d like to now move
on to the next area.”

Closing Questions
◆Pertaining to your application, is there any additional pertinent information about
your organization?

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 Sample Site Visit Questions
ASK
May we see typical examples of …..?
Typical examples may include agendas from
staff meetings, copies of employee surveys,
results reports from analysis sessions, or other
items that will verify that the claims made in
the application are accurate.
It is not clear to me (us) how your organization
manages its xxx. Please describe that process.
Allow the respondent to describe the process.
Compare the information in the application for
relevance and completeness.
How does your organization determine if…?
This question allows the respondent to answer
freely, without any “coaching” to elicit an
answer.
Do you plan to make any changes in your
customer feedback system?
This question is on a relevant topic that is
contained in the criteria and gets to the issue of
continuous improvement.
Describe how you determine the root cause of
quality problems in this process. Give me a
couple of examples if possible.
This question is specific and answerable.
Can you describe how you get information
from dissatisfied customers?
Question assumes that they, like everyone,
have some dissatisfied customers. It allows
them to say how they handle it.
Explain some of the ways you communicate
your organization’s quality principles to all
employees. How do you tell if they buy into it?
Gives them a chance to highlight some of the
methods (they couldn’t tell you ALL of the
ways) and you are in a position to judge if they
are systematic or not.
14
AVOID
Can you verify that…?
This question could be answered “Yes” or “No.” It
may also sound challenging or threatening.
You don’t seem to have a good method for
managing your xx. Why don’t you do it like the
ABC company?
This is critical and evaluative. It suggests a
comparison that may not be appropriate. It puts
the respondent on the defensive.
Do you use the XYZ technique to determine if…?
This question is prescriptive and could be
answered “Yes” or “No.”
Do you plan to make any changes in the way
your market your products?
Interesting, but largely irrelevant to the criteria.
How do you assure quality in all of your products
and processes?
Too broad to be answered. You will get a
philosophical answer (or a blank stare).
You seem to have a lot of dissatisfied customers.
Why aren’t you are doing anything about it?
This question is too personal and critical. It puts
the respondent on the defensive.
Does everyone in your organization subscribe to
your CEO’s quality approach?
Answer: “Of course! Next question.”
 Site Visit Walk-Around Questions

These are some questions that you might ask several people, at different levels in the organization,
in order to check deployment, verify your understanding/perceptions, or clarify aspects of the application.

 What part of the organization do you work in? How long have you been with the organization?
How long have you been in your current position?

 What are the most significant changes that you’ve personally experienced in the last two to
three years? What made them significant?

 Do you have direct interactions with your customers? How often? Could you describe a couple
of examples? In general, what do they expect from you? How do you handle complaints and/or
dissatisfied customers?

 How do you know when you’re doing a good job?

 How would you describe the mission or goals of your organization?

 What departments do you depend on to do your job? Do you provide these groups feedback
on what would make it better for you/your group? How often? Is your feedback provided
formally or informally?

 Are you involved in community activities? How does the organization treat your time when
you volunteer (i.e. work time, personal time, paid time, unpaid, mixture, etc.) ?

 Are you currently participating on a work team? How long have you been a member? What is
the team’s mission or role? Are your team activities worth the time you spend? Why?

 When was the last time you attended a formal training class (on line or in a classroom)? Topic?
Length? From the training, what were you able to use back on your job?

 Do you receive information about the organization’s financial condition, strategy, contract
wins/losses, etc? How (e-mail, newsletters, group meetings, etc.)? Which is most effective? Are
there other ways you’d like to get information?

 How often do you have contact with your direct supervisor? His/her supervisor? Under what
circumstances?

 Who are your major competitors? What do they do better than your organization? Are you
aware of any efforts to improve in these areas?

 What concerns do you have about the future of this business? Have you shared these with your
management? Have they asked you for input? How? How often?

 How do you fit into the organization’s strategic plan?

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Effective Interviewing Steps
Establish the Goal: Since the interviewing pairs need to gather a lot of information in a short
time, they need a clear picture of what each of the interviews aims to accomplish. They set
goals by asking, “What do I want to receive from this interview?” and “What specifically am I
looking for?”

Know the Audience: Knowing people’s positions within the organization helps the
examiners prepare for the interviews. This knowledge also helps examiners determine how to
develop rapport with the interviewees so that they feel comfortable and talk freely. Examiners
are sensitive and alert to the interviewees’ nonverbal feedback to the questions; they listen
with their eyes, as well as their ears.

Prepare the Questions: Develop specific questions based on the site visit issues and Criteria
items. Identifying questions in advance creates the interview framework. Some site visit issues
can be “closed out” by asking questions that can be answered with specific, fact-based
answers. Open-ended questions gather information on whether or not the mission, vision,
and values, as well as processes, are deployed throughout the organization. These questions
also allow the interviewees the opportunity to share their thoughts, beliefs, and examples of
specific behaviors. The ultimate goal of all the questions is to enable the team to generalize
the findings across the organization. If, however, all planned questions were answered in
advance of a scheduled meeting, it is best to cancel the meeting and use the time to better
meet the team’s needs.

Assess the Environment: Before starting, examiners need to assess the environment to
ensure that it is conducive to the interview and data gathering. Consider the location, the
amount of time, and who the interviewees are, as well as the total number of people being
interviewed. The size of the interviewee pool will influence the type of the interview (e.g.,
focus group or one-on-one). Focus groups are typically more effective and efficient with a
large number of interviewees.

Review the Information: To ensure that they have understood the answers to the questions,
the examiners quickly review the information with the interviewees. This enables the
interviewees to clarify what was meant and to provide additional information. Reviewing the
information also provides a mechanism for closing the interview.

Capture the Information: One examiner leads the interview; the other captures the notes.
After the interview, examiners review their notes once more to ensure that the needed
information was obtained. Examiners can make notes about linkages or other areas to
explore in the next interviews. The pair also reviews each other’s notes to verify the
information. Site Visit Issue sheet is updated with findings.

Be Self-Aware: Examiners need to be conscious of their own nonverbal communication to

ensure that they do not send messages to the applicant. Also, they need to be aware of how
their biases can influence the questions that they ask.

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Interview Tips and Techniques
• Be prompt in starting the interview.

• Introduce yourself: “Hello, I’m from the Oklahoma Quality Foundation

Site Visit Team.” Ask the person’s name if it is not offered. Ask the person some
questions about his or her background to help put him or her at ease.

• If the mentor is observing your interview, explain his/her role as an observer.

• Begin the interview by saying that examiners are not looking for right answers but,
rather, that they are trying to fully understand processes and results.

• Say that you will be taking notes.

• As appropriate and functional, keep a separate page for each meeting or person with
whom you talk and for each SVI. This permits easier sharing of information within the
Site Visit Team.

• If you think it will be helpful, fill out the interview log to track interviewees’ names, job
functions, department or unit, and site.

• Ask simple, straightforward questions using the applicant’s language. Avoid Baldrige
or other types of jargon.

• Do not ask leading questions, and be careful not to inadvertently prompt answers. For
example, ask, “How often does the planning team meet?” rather than “Does the
planning team meet every week?”

• Ask the interviewee if he or she would like to add anything. You may have missed
something the applicant feels is vital.

• Thank the interviewee for his or her time, and communicate appreciation for the
applicant’s efforts.

• Record materials requested and received.

Applicants are typically interested in assessing their progress on a site visit and may ask, “How
are we doing?” Simply tell the applicant that the team is still gathering information on its site
visit issues and, as such, it is premature to answer. However, you can complement the
applicant’s hospitality, flexibility, and cooperation in helping the team obtain the information
it needs.

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 SV Document Log

NAME: CATEGORY

DOCUMENT CATEGORY SOURCE RETURNED

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Interview Log - Location: Date/Time:

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