Interview Techniques: Bringing Stories to Life

The difference between a basic interview and a compelling life story often lies in the interviewer's approach:

Active Listening Skills

1. Practice genuine curiosity: Approach each answer with authentic interest rather than simply moving through your question list.
2. Use encouraging non-verbals: Nodding, maintaining appropriate eye contact, and leaning in slightly all signal that you're fully engaged.
3. Allow for silence: Resist the urge to fill pauses—quiet moments often precede the most meaningful reflections.
4. Follow emotional cues: When you notice strong feelings emerge, gently encourage deeper sharing with follow-up questions.
5. Withhold judgment: Create a space where all experiences and perspectives can be shared without criticism.

Effective Follow-up Questions

When you hear something intriguing, these follow-up prompts can uncover richer details:

• "Can you tell me more about that?"
• "What was that experience like for you?"
• "How did that make you feel?"
• "What happened next?"
• "Who else was involved in that story?"

"The magic happens in the follow-ups," explains professional oral historian James Fernandez. "Initial questions open doors, but follow-up questions take you into the rooms where the real treasures lie."

Capturing Context and Details

Help your interviewee provide rich context by asking about:

• Sensory details: "What did it smell/sound/look like?"
• Practical specifics: "How exactly did you do that?"
• Environmental factors: "What was happening in the world around you?"
• Interpersonal dynamics: "How did others respond to that?"
• Internal experiences: "What were you thinking during that moment?"

The nurse information Australia platform notes that these contextual details are particularly valuable when recording health-related family histories.

Special Considerations for Different Life Stages

Interviewing techniques should be adapted to the unique characteristics of different age groups:

Interviewing Elderly Family Members

1. Schedule at their best time of day: Most seniors have specific times when they're most alert and energetic.
2. Plan shorter sessions: Consider 30-45 minute sessions with breaks rather than lengthy interviews.
3. Speak clearly but not loudly: Unless hearing impaired, most elderly people don't need increased volume—just clear articulation.
4. Be patient with repetition: Stories may be told multiple times; each telling might contain new details.
5. Watch for fatigue signals: Be prepared to conclude or pause when energy flags.

Interviewing Middle-Generation Family Members

1. Work around busy schedules: Offer flexible timing options, including evening or weekend sessions.
2. Address privacy concerns directly: Clarify how information will be used and who will have access.
3. Connect stories to current family dynamics: Help them see how their experiences inform present family patterns.
4. Balance personal and professional narratives: Many in mid-life define themselves through both family and work achievements.
5. Explore generational bridge perspectives: This generation often has unique insights into both older and younger family members.

Interviewing Children and Teens

1. Use age-appropriate questions: Focus on concrete experiences rather than abstract reflections for younger children.
2. Incorporate activity-based interviewing: Drawing, photo sorting, or location-based storytelling often works well.
3. Respect digital natives' perspectives: Their experiences of family and connection may differ significantly from older generations.
4. Create peer interviewing opportunities: Teens often share more openly with cousins or siblings close to their age.
5. Value their role as family historians: Young people can become enthusiastic documentarians when given meaningful responsibility.

The dementia care activities organization provides specialized guidance for interviewing family members with cognitive challenges.

Ethical Considerations in Family Interviewing

Capturing family stories comes with important ethical responsibilities:

1. Informed consent: Ensure interviewees understand how their stories will be preserved and shared.
2. Respect for privacy: Honor requests to keep certain stories "off the record" or restricted to specific family members.
3. Accurate representation: Resist the urge to edit or reshape narratives to fit preferred family myths.
4. Balanced perspectives: Seek multiple viewpoints on significant family events and conflicts.
5. Cultural sensitivity: Recognize that cultural norms around storytelling and privacy vary significantly.

"Family historians serve as stewards of intimate truths," notes ethical storytelling expert Rebecca Solnit. "This role requires both courage to preserve difficult stories and wisdom to know when certain tales should remain private."

After the Interview: Preserving and Sharing

The value of your interviews depends on thoughtful post-interview processing:

Immediate Steps

1. Back up recordings: Immediately transfer files to multiple secure locations.
2. Create basic metadata: Label recordings with name, date, location, and general topics covered.
3. Write observation notes: Document non-verbal elements and contextual factors while fresh in your mind.
4. Send appreciation: A thank-you note acknowledging the gift of shared stories reinforces the value of the experience.
5. Schedule follow-up: Most rich interviews generate questions for future sessions.

Processing for Posterity

1. Consider transcription: Written transcripts make content searchable and accessible to those who prefer reading.
2. Identify key stories: Create timestamps or markers for especially significant narratives.
3. Connect to artifacts: Link stories to relevant photographs, documents, or heirlooms.
4. Create appropriate access: Determine which stories should be widely shared versus those with limited family access.
5. Plan for long-term preservation: Implement a digital archiving strategy using tools like the Evaheld Legacy Vault.

Transforming Interviews into Family Legacy Projects

Individual interviews gain additional meaning when incorporated into larger legacy projects:

1. Thematic compilations: Gather different family members' perspectives on shared experiences like holidays, moves, or family businesses.
2. Multimedia timelines: Combine interview clips with photographs, documents, and historical context.
3. Family documentary films: Edit video interviews with supporting visuals to create compelling family narratives.
4. Ethical wills: Use interview insights to help family members create documents expressing values and wisdom.
5. Interactive family websites: Create password-protected sites where extended family can access and contribute to shared stories.

The legacy preservation blog offers numerous examples of creative projects that transform raw interviews into meaningful family treasures.

Conclusion: The Transformative Power of Family Interviews

When we take the time to truly listen to our family members' stories, we do more than preserve history—we create connection, meaning, and continuity that strengthens the entire family system.

As you embark on your family interview journey, remember that perfection isn't the goal. Even imperfect recordings of family stories are infinitely more valuable than perfect interviews never conducted. Start today, with whatever resources you have, asking questions that matter to you and creating space for the answers that will become your family's most precious inheritance.

Your future self—and generations yet unborn—will thank you for the priceless gift of knowing where they came from and the stories that shaped their family identity.