The members of the assessment team act as a unit but may perform specialized roles during the interview sessions. These roles are facilitator, timekeeper, and librarian. Most teams are also divided into mini-teams with specific responsibility for asking about areas of the assessment model ("Planning and Preparing for an Assessment, Assessment Team Training and Post-Training Activities").
The interview facilitator (often the Lead Assessor) is designated to run the interview. He or she must ensure that the interview stays on track and that appropriate questions are asked and answered.
The timekeeper is responsible for informing the facilitator when each section of the interview is due to end and when it is time for the interview as a whole to finish. The librarian is responsible for keeping track of documentation and requesting additional documentation during the interview.
Mini-teams usually consist of groups of two or more people. The mini-teams ask questions about and are responsible for filling out post-interview worksheets on particular KPAs/PAs.
Before an interview, the assessment team should agree on who will be the interview facilitator, who will act as timekeeper, what questions will be asked in what order, and how much time will be allocated to particular questions.
The Lead Assessor is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all necessary questions are asked. This includes specific KPA/PA questions as well as more general ones.
Lead Assessor or Lead Facilitator Role
- May be Lead Assessor or team member; facilitator role may rotate
- Conduct interview from pre-scripted questions
- Don’t worry about taking notes; trust the team members
- Stay to your pre-planned agenda; schedule time for opening, closing, and questions from facilitator and team members
- Start and stop the interview on schedule
- Maintain control; don’t let interviewees or team members take control of the interview
Assessment Team Members’ Roles
- Must be able to see and hear interviewees
- Take notes on everything said
- Be ready to ask questions for additional info needed on mini-team PAs
- Stay sufficiently in the background so that note taking is not distracting
Organization Site Coordinator Responsibilities
- Remind interviewees of time and place of interview
- See that all interviewees come to the interview
- Monitor interview room door; close when interview starts
- Provide refreshments for interviewees and team
Librarian Role
- Make notes on any documents offered/requested
- Give interviewee a list of documents to be provided to the team
- Follow up with interviewee to get document(s)
- Return document(s) to interviewee
Timekeeper Role
- Follow facilitator’s agenda
- Maintain time schedule; prompt facilitator to stay on schedule
Participants’ Roles
- Do not take notes; if notes are taken, leave in interview room
- Any documents promised should be noted by librarian
- No preparation needed; just be forthright and answer questions