Structured Interviewing and Questioning Skills for Report Writers

Behind many reports lies an interview, whether with a witness, a client, a stakeholder or a colleague, and a poorly run conversation produces weak, unreliable content. This course teaches report writers across African organisations to plan and conduct structured interviews that gather accurate, usable information. Delegates practise questioning techniques, active listening and note taking that turn conversations into solid evidence for reports.

What you will be able to do

Plan an interview around the information a report needs.
Ask open, probing and clarifying questions effectively.
Build rapport so people share accurate information.
Listen actively and capture answers reliably.
Avoid leading questions and common bias traps.
Turn interview notes into clear evidence for a report.

Course outline

01Planning the Interview
02Types of Questions and When to Use Them
03Building Rapport and Trust
04Active Listening and Following Up
05Avoiding Leading Questions and Bias
06Note Taking During Interviews
07Turning Notes into Evidence
08Practice Interviews and Feedback

Who should attend

This course is designed for report writers, investigators, researchers, analysts, auditors and programme staff who gather information through interviews and discussions.

Dates, venues and fees

Dates	Venue	Days	Fee
17 to 18 Aug 2026	Cairo	2	US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026	Accra	2	US$1,100
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026	Lusaka	2	US$1,100
7 to 8 Sep 2026	Kigali	2	US$1,100
14 to 15 Sep 2026	Nairobi	2	US$1,100
21 to 22 Sep 2026	Durban	2	R10,000
28 to 29 Sep 2026	Johannesburg	2	R10,000
12 to 13 Oct 2026	Mauritius	2	US$1,100
19 to 20 Oct 2026	Dubai	2	US$1,100
26 to 27 Oct 2026	Lagos	2	US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026	Harare	2	US$1,100
9 to 10 Nov 2026	Kampala	2	US$1,100
16 to 17 Nov 2026	Dar es Salaam	2	US$1,100
23 to 24 Nov 2026	Pretoria	2	R10,000
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026	Cape Town	2	R10,000
14 to 15 Dec 2026	Online	2	US$900
21 to 22 Dec 2026	Mozambique	2	US$1,100

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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Training a whole team?

We can run Structured Interviewing and Questioning Skills for Report Writers privately for your team, on your dates and built around your own systems. Group delivery is usually more cost effective from about six delegates.

Run this in-house