An important risk to keep in mind when conducting a current state interview is settling for a superficial understanding of the situation, which can lead to inaccurate assessments, wasted resources, and strategic missteps. If the interview only covers surface-level details or relies too heavily on surveys and documentation, you may miss key operational gaps, stakeholder concerns, or root causes of issues.

Key Risks in Current State Interviews

• Not interviewing enough stakeholders from various levels and departments can result in an incomplete or biased picture.

• Failing to establish trust or making people feel defensive during interviews may lead to withheld information or guarded responses.

• Overlooking data privacy, legal compliance, or the handling of sensitive information poses regulatory and reputational risks, especially if personal data is involved.

• Neglecting to seek out flaws in documentation and communication processes may allow existing problems to persist unnoticed.

Addressing these risks ensures the current state assessment is thorough, accurate, and useful for future planning and decision-making.