Methods
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Screening candidates
To discern whether an individual is a match for your research, have a short conversation and ask them to tell you their story. Use open-ended questions like, “Can you tell me about a time when…” or “Tell me about a day in the life of your agency.” Questions like this can help you get directly into the touchpoints or pain points you may want to study, and ensure that you identify participants whose experience is pertinent to your work.
It’s fine if you discover the individual is not a strong match. It saves your time, and the individual’s time. Thank them for their interest in the project and for sharing their story, and ask if they are open to you contacting them in the future for other research projects.
Starting out
Sometimes it can be hard to figure out where to start with recruiting. One quick way to get ideas is to create a table like the one below.
| Problem | Research Participants | Possible Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Improve the application process for federal job candidates | HR professionals, hiring managers, policy specialists, back-end system administrators | College career offices, agency heads, program leads |
| Simplify the process for small businesses selling goods and services to the Federal government | Small business owners, contracting officers, agency contract/schedule leads | Small business industry organizations, program managers |
Identifying participants
Tables like this one provide a clear picture of the kinds of participants you are looking for. For example, if your research topic involves geriatric care from the VA, you want to recruit participants who receive this type of care.
Scheduling interviews
Once participants have been screened and selected, it is important to keep them informed about their participation at key touchpoints in the interviewing process. If possible, use their preferred communication method, be it a phone call, email, or text. Contact them when the interview is scheduled, and give them a courtesy reminder the day before the interview.
