The repertoire grid is a strategy used in interviewing individuals, based on factor analysis to assess personality and tailor the interview. It was developed by George Kelly and involves identifying a topic, relevant examples, creating a construct set, and evaluating instances. The technique is used in various contexts, including market research, journalism, education, and mental health counseling.
Repertoire grids are strategies that are used in the process of interviewing individuals. The basis of this approach involves the use of factor analysis as a means of correctly assessing the personality of the individual interviewee and adjusting the course of the interview so as to increase interview productivity. While primarily developed as a research tool, the basics of the repertoire grid can also be used in other situations, such as a job interview or even conducting an interview with a public figure.
The essentials of repertoire grid as an interview technique are based on the work of George Kelly. In the mid-1950s, Kelly developed the so-called personal construct theory. This theory, published in 1955, suggests that four basic elements can be used as a way to identify how an individual relates to past experience. As a result, it is possible to develop a working profile of certain personality traits that may be present during the interview and then tailor the course of the interview to extract the maximum amount of data.
The first element or part of a repertoire grid technique is focused on the topic for the interview. Ideally, the topic will include something about the personal experiences of the individual being interviewed. This element helps establish the foundation for the remaining parts of the grid.
Having established the topic, the next step involves identifying examples or instances that may be relevant to both the topic and the interviewee. For example, if the interview topic has to do with rose gardens, a likely set of examples might include carrying pictures of various roses. The images are likely to prompt the individual to share information about the history and proper cultivation of each type of rose. As a result, the amount of data that is obtained from the interview has greatly increased.
Creating a construct set also helps provide a basis for comparing and contrasting the examples or instances under discussion during the interview. The respondent may be able to compare two hybrid roses and note that one does well in a less humid climate while the other thrives in high humidity. Constructs add another dimension to the data shared during the interview and allow you to explore the specifics of more general instances or examples.
Finally, a repertoire grid provides for the process of evaluating both the instances and the constructs that formed the basis of the questions posed during the interview. Here the respondent is offered the opportunity to use a sliding scale to rate the various instances, and optionally the tools are offered to create a hierarchical list of the instances which demonstrates their level of importance in the respondent’s opinion. This helps establish where the individual is placed in the interview process and can also reveal interesting data based on responses.
The use of a repertoire grid is common in many different contexts. Market researchers often use the technique to qualify consumer responses. Journalists use a repertoire grid model when interviewing public figures. Educators use strategy as a way to measure the effectiveness of various teaching methods. Mental health professionals also use a repertoire grid as part of the process of therapy and counseling sessions. As a means of extracting information in an organized way, the grid works well in almost any situation.
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