Agree on the reader
Before the interview, describe who the content is for and what they need to understand. A specialist can explain the same topic at several levels. Without an audience brief, the conversation may produce technically accurate material that is either too broad or too detailed for the intended reader. Share a short outline and the decisions the piece should support.
Ask about real situations
Move from general statements to concrete applications. Ask when the issue appears, what teams commonly misunderstand, and what a good evaluation looks like. Follow up on the conditions behind an answer. A statement that begins with “it depends” is often the opening to useful content, because the dependencies help a reader judge their own situation.
Separate experience and evidence
Experts often combine direct experience, interpretation, and broader opinion in a single answer. Clarify which is which. Ask what can be supported publicly, what needs internal review, and whether an example can be used without identifying a customer. This is easier during the conversation than after a polished draft has turned a tentative observation into a firm claim.
Review for meaning
Send a structured draft that shows how the interview has been used. Ask the specialist to check the explanation, its conditions, and any missing context. Keep editorial changes separate from factual corrections so both can be resolved. A good interview process produces a readable article while preserving the distinctions that made the expert’s perspective valuable in the first place.