The Time-Critical Questioning (TCQ) Framework

Transcript:

Imagine you work in law enforcement and have just 10 minutes to extract crucial information, in a highly pressured situation.

For example, you're a police officer, desperately trying to glean key details from a witness following a terrorist attack.

Perhaps you’re an intelligence officer, needing to speak to your informant about a weapons movement.

Or you might be part of a SWAT team, relying on a freed hostage to provide vital intelligence.

In moments like these, the ability to quickly gather critical information can mean the difference between life and death.

Now, extracting information in time-sensitive situations has previously been done using traditional interview techniques. But what if there was a faster, more efficient way?

New CREST research by Lorraine Hope and her team have developed an innovative technique called Time-Critical Questioning (TCQ) – a novel protocol which has shown to improve the ability to get accurate information quickly.

Now, traditionally, the method has been to fire off a series of sharp, focused prompts—questions like "What?", "Who?", "Where?", and "When?” — often delivered in an abrupt manner with no real explanation or interaction with the interviewee. This method is founded on the belief that a direct approach will get straight to the point and extract the necessary details quickly.

However, this approach is flawed. First, it is entirely reliant on the interviewer asking the ‘right questions’ and as such it operates on the assumption that the interviewer knows exactly what information the interviewee has, which is rarely the case. So precious time will inevitably be wasted asking questions about things the interviewee knows little or nothing about. Second, and more importantly, this approach is entirely at odds with what we understand about how human memory and information retrieval work.

And this is why we developed the Time-Critical Questioning (TCQ) protocol. It's designed around best practices for eliciting information and it emphasises building rapport, clearly establishing roles and goals in the interaction, and giving the interviewee a sense of autonomy—but in a way that can be done quickly.

At the core of this new approach lies the I-RELATE instruction, which serves as the introduction to the interview, setting the stage for a more effective and efficient exchange of information.

Here’s how it works:

First, the interviewer sets the stage by Introducing (I) themselves and establishing the role (R) of the interviewee as the primary source of information. This simple shift in dynamics transfers control to the interviewee, empowering them to share what they know.

Then, the interviewer details their expectations (E) relevant to the specific context of the interaction, while working to line (L) up the goals of both parties in the interaction.

The next steps involve mapping the agenda (A) for the interaction and providing priority topic (T) cues to facilitate the reporting of key relevant information by the interviewee.

Finally, providing an explanation (E) about the procedure ensures the interviewee knows what to do and what to expect.

In essence, by shifting from an abrupt interrogation style to a more collaborative and scientifically informed approach, we can enhance our ability to get the information we need when every second counts.

In empirical testing, we discovered that this relatively brief but powerful instructional format yielded exciting results when used in combination with high-quality questioning. Specifically, research participants interviewed using the TCQ provided over 20% more priority information than those interviewed using a direct approach - and they did so more quickly in a short time-sensitive interview. 

As practitioners who understand the pressure of extracting information quickly in high-stakes situations we have trained TCQ and have seen it deployed in field evaluations, including a live hostage-taking exercise.  We have witnessed first-hand the efficacy of this pioneering technique in swiftly extracting critical information.

So, what's the next step?

From aiding police response officers to those involved in national security, TCQ stands as a robust solution for swiftly gathering information in time-sensitive scenarios.

But its impact goes far beyond law enforcement, signalling a paradigm shift in how we approach urgent situations. Its application could be applied to all frontline workers, from paramedics to social services.

In any context where time is of the essence, TCQ is a game-changer, ensuring rapid and reliable information gathering. Ultimately, it paves the way for a safer, more secure future.