Checklist
Ask for the artifact that could outvote memory
A memory becomes much more useful when it points to a trace.
When it fits
- A decision depends on recollection of what was sent, promised, configured, paid, approved or observed.
When to avoid it
- Artifacts can also be wrong, partial or manipulated. Treat them as evidence, not automatic truth.
Checklist
- What artifact should exist if this happened?
- Where is the original?
- What date/version does it represent?
- Could the artifact be incomplete or stale?
Why it matters
Ask which artifact could confirm or contradict the account: message, screenshot, ticket, log, receipt, version, configuration, calendar entry or measurement. Record its provenance and date instead of copying an isolated number without context.
An example
A stakeholder remembers approving a field change; the approval comment and transport timestamp show what was actually approved and when.
Check your result
At least one important recollection is linked to an inspectable trace or explicitly marked as unverified.
Keep this limit in mind
- Artifacts can also be wrong, partial or manipulated. Treat them as evidence, not automatic truth.
Evidence and sources
Supports
GOV.UK interview guidance recommends open, neutral questions, asking for real stories and examples, listening carefully, and using follow-ups when meaning is unclear.
Neutral wording reduces one source of bias but does not make interview evidence objective or representative by itself.
Using in-depth interviews · Do the interview