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Interview Mode

Conduct structured interviews with external stakeholders, vendors, and partners while maintaining control over sensitive architecture information.

Overview​

Interview Mode enables you to have Archy-facilitated conversations with people outside your organization while protecting your internal architecture data. It's perfect for vendor evaluations, requirement gathering, and external consultations.

Key Features​

Access Control​

  • Granular permissions for what interviewees can see
  • Time-limited access with automatic expiration
  • Session recording with configurable privacy levels
  • Internal notes invisible to external participants

Professional Experience​

  • Branded interface with your organization's identity
  • Structured conversation flows guided by Archy
  • Automatic documentation generation from discussions
  • Multi-party support for complex stakeholder meetings

Data Protection​

  • Internal architecture remains confidential
  • Sensitive information filtering during conversations
  • Separate data storage for external interviews
  • Audit trails for compliance and governance

Setting Up Interview Mode​

Creating an Interview Session​

  1. Navigate to Meetings > Schedule Interview

  2. Define the interview purpose:

    • Vendor evaluation for specific capability
    • Requirements gathering for new project
    • Architecture consultation with external expert
    • Stakeholder input on business process

  3. Configure access settings:

    • Read-Only: Interviewee can see results but not modify
    • No Recordings: Interviewee cannot access meeting recordings
    • Summary-Only: Interviewee sees only high-level summaries

  4. Set session parameters:

    • Duration (30 minutes to 2 hours)
    • Expiration date for access
    • Recording and transcription preferences

Invitation Process​

Internal Preparation:

  1. Review interview objectives with Archy beforehand
  2. Prepare key questions and evaluation criteria
  3. Define confidentiality boundaries and sensitive topics
  4. Brief internal team members on roles and responsibilities

External Invitation:

  1. Generate secure link with time-limited access
  2. Send professional invitation with agenda and expectations
  3. Provide technical requirements and joining instructions
  4. Include confidentiality notice and data handling terms

Conducting Interview Sessions​

Pre-Interview Setup (5 minutes)​

Technical Check:

  • Verify all participants can access the meeting
  • Test audio/video for all attendees
  • Confirm screen sharing capabilities if needed
  • Review session recording settings

Context Setting:

  • Introduce all participants and their roles
  • Review the meeting objectives and agenda
  • Clarify confidentiality and data handling expectations
  • Explain how Archy will facilitate the conversation

Structured Interview Flow​

Opening (5-10 minutes): Archy helps establish context and rapport:

  • Participant introductions and background
  • Organization and role descriptions
  • Relevant experience and expertise areas
  • Objectives and expected outcomes

Discovery Phase (20-40 minutes): Archy guides systematic information gathering:

  • Structured questioning based on interview type
  • Follow-up questions for clarity and depth
  • Real-time analysis and insight generation
  • Professional facilitation of complex discussions

Analysis Phase (10-20 minutes): Archy helps synthesize findings:

  • Summary of key points and insights
  • Identification of gaps or areas needing clarification
  • Action items and next steps
  • Thank you and professional closing

Interview Types and Templates​

Vendor Evaluation:

  • Capability assessment and demonstration
  • Technical architecture and integration requirements
  • Security and compliance verification
  • Pricing and support model evaluation

Requirements Gathering:

  • Business process understanding
  • Functional and non-functional requirements
  • Integration and data requirements
  • Success criteria and acceptance testing

Architecture Consultation:

  • External expertise on specific technical challenges
  • Industry best practices and benchmarking
  • Solution options and recommendation development
  • Risk assessment and mitigation strategies

Stakeholder Input:

  • Business process pain points and improvement opportunities
  • User experience and workflow requirements
  • Change management and adoption considerations
  • Success metrics and measurement approaches

Access Control and Security​

Permission Levels​

Read-Only Access:

  • Can view meeting summary and key insights
  • Cannot see detailed internal architecture
  • Limited to discussion points relevant to their participation
  • No access to sensitive internal documentation

No Recordings Access:

  • Can participate in live conversation
  • Cannot access recorded sessions afterward
  • Receives only written summary of key points
  • Protects sensitive verbal discussions

Summary-Only Access:

  • Sees high-level outcomes and decisions
  • No access to detailed conversation transcripts
  • Limited to action items and next steps
  • Maximum protection for sensitive discussions

Data Segregation​

Internal vs. External Data:

  • External interview data stored separately
  • No cross-contamination with internal architecture
  • Clear labeling of data sources and sensitivity
  • Automatic expiration of external access

Sensitive Information Filtering:

  • Archy trained to avoid revealing internal system details
  • Confidential information flagged and protected
  • Professional responses that maintain confidentiality
  • Real-time filtering of potentially sensitive content

Audit and Compliance​

Audit Trail:

  • Complete record of who accessed what information
  • Time-stamped activity logs for all participants
  • Data export and sharing tracking
  • Compliance reporting capabilities

Legal and Contractual:

  • Non-disclosure agreement integration
  • Data processing agreement templates
  • Export compliance and data residency controls
  • Right to deletion and data portability

Best Practices for Interview Mode​

Preparation​

Internal Team Alignment:

  • Define interview objectives and success criteria
  • Assign roles (lead interviewer, technical expert, note-taker)
  • Prepare evaluation frameworks and scoring criteria
  • Brief team on confidentiality boundaries and protocols

Question Development:

  • Create structured question sets for different interview types
  • Develop scoring rubrics for consistent evaluation
  • Prepare follow-up questions for likely scenarios
  • Plan for technical demonstrations or proof-of-concept requests

During the Interview​

Professional Facilitation:

  • Let Archy guide the conversation flow while maintaining control
  • Ask clarifying questions when responses are unclear
  • Manage time effectively to cover all important topics
  • Take internal notes for post-interview analysis

Information Gathering:

  • Focus on understanding capabilities and fit rather than selling
  • Ask for specific examples and case studies
  • Explore integration and technical requirements thoroughly
  • Understand support, training, and implementation approaches

Post-Interview Analysis​

Immediate Review:

  • Hold internal debrief session within 24 hours
  • Review Archy's analysis and insights
  • Score candidates against evaluation criteria
  • Identify additional questions or information needed

Documentation:

  • Generate formal evaluation reports
  • Update vendor/solution comparison matrices
  • Document decisions and rationale
  • Share appropriate summaries with stakeholders

Advanced Interview Techniques​

Multi-Round Interviews​

Screening Round:

  • High-level capability and fit assessment
  • Basic technical and commercial viability
  • Cultural and strategic alignment
  • Decision to proceed to detailed evaluation

Technical Deep Dive:

  • Detailed architecture and integration discussion
  • Security and compliance verification
  • Performance and scalability assessment
  • Technical risk evaluation

Final Evaluation:

  • Business case and value proposition review
  • Implementation planning and resource requirements
  • Contract terms and pricing negotiation
  • Reference checks and final due diligence

Panel Interviews​

Cross-Functional Participation:

  • Business stakeholders for requirements validation
  • Technical experts for architecture assessment
  • Security team for compliance verification
  • Project managers for implementation feasibility

Coordinated Questioning:

  • Structured rotation between different expertise areas
  • Consistent evaluation criteria across all participants
  • Real-time collaboration on scoring and assessment
  • Professional management of multiple internal perspectives

Comparative Analysis​

Vendor Bake-offs:

  • Standardized demonstration scenarios
  • Consistent evaluation criteria and scoring
  • Side-by-side capability comparison
  • Objective decision-making support

Solution Evaluation:

  • Multiple approaches to the same business challenge
  • Trade-off analysis between different solution patterns
  • Cost-benefit analysis across alternatives
  • Risk assessment for each approach

Integration with Decision Making​

Decision Framework Integration​

Structured Evaluation:

  • Link interview insights to formal decision criteria
  • Weight different factors based on business priorities
  • Generate comparison matrices and scorecards
  • Support data-driven decision making

Risk Assessment:

  • Identify implementation risks and mitigation strategies
  • Assess vendor/solution risks and dependencies
  • Evaluate change management and adoption challenges
  • Document risk tolerance and acceptance decisions

Stakeholder Communication​

Executive Summaries:

  • High-level findings and recommendations
  • Business case and value proposition summaries
  • Implementation timelines and resource requirements
  • Risk assessment and mitigation strategies

Technical Documentation:

  • Detailed architecture and integration requirements
  • Security and compliance verification results
  • Performance and scalability assessments
  • Implementation planning and technical considerations

Interview Mode transforms external stakeholder engagement from informal conversations to structured, professional, and secure consultation processes that protect your architecture while gathering valuable insights.

Related Documentation: