Stop Writing Interview Scripts

Preparation is one of the most important parts of an investigative interview. 

Scripting it is something else entirely.

The distinction matters because the strongest interviews are rarely the ones where every question has been written in advance. They are the ones where investigators have prepared thoroughly enough to follow the evidence, rather than the order of their notes.

An interview plan creates structure. An interview script can create rigidity.

It is easy to understand why investigators write scripts. A detailed list of questions creates a sense of control. Every topic has a place. Every transition has been considered. Nothing important appears likely to be forgotten. For newer investigators, scripts can also reduce anxiety by providing something familiar to rely on when conversations become difficult or unpredictable.

The problem is that investigative interviews are not presentations. They are conversations that develop in response to new information. 

An interviewee may answer three planned questions with a single response. A seemingly minor detail may become the most important issue discussed that day. A line of questioning that looked essential during preparation may become irrelevant once additional context emerges.