Conducting Key Informant Interviews in Developing Countries

Although key informant interviews are widely conducted in development settings, the
quality and nature off the information they generate remain suspect for a variety of reasons.

Key informants are not carefully selected. Interview guides are not prepared in advance.
questions are inaptly worded and clumsily asked. The responses are not properly recorded and systematically analyzed. And above all, the findings are not satisfactorily verified. Thus, too often, this potentially useful and versatile method of data collection becomes a poorly
planned activity generating information of dubious value and low credibility.

To improve the quality of information forr use in project and program design,
implementation, and evaluation, this report outlines the steps involved in gathering and
analyzing information thrrough key iknformant interviews. It also discusses the advantages,
limitations, and possible uses of such information.