How should you decide when to interview someone? Approach early in the interview sequence: Those who are likely to be rich sources of information. Individuals who have power. (They can provide access,...

How should you decide when to interview someone? Approach early in the interview sequence: Those who are likely to be rich sources of information. Individuals who have power. (They can provide access, either directly or indirectly, to other sources of information.) Knowledgeable persons who can give you information that will induce others to talk more freely. Friendly expert interviewees who will contribute to the credibility of the analysis. Potential opponents, to the extent that they can be assessed. Retired employees. 8 Approach relatively late: Those interviewees who are likely to be hostile or defensive. (Use earlier interviews to acquire leverage.) Interviewees whom you may not be able to speak to again because they are busy, remote, or otherwise difficult to reach. (Especially if you want their reactions to policy alternatives that you cannot fully specify until the later stages of your project.) Powerful political opponents who could prevent you from gaining access to other interviewees. (Bardach is aware of the contradiction of recommending both early and late interviews for potential opponents.) Administrators who may not identify critical issues even though they have the requisite knowledge. “Expert” interviewees, especially academics, who may be more theoretically oriented.9 (If you interview them too early, you may not know enough to frame questions that take full advantage of their expertise.)