I use the devil's advocate approach to gathering software requirements. I argue against what I feel are good ideas and argue for what are seemingly not so good ideas. As long as you don't get too far off track the discussion is often very enlightening about what your customers actually want to build. The downside is that you either end up feeling like or looking like an idiot because you're seemingly on the wrong side of idea (BTW I'm not claiming that I'm not an idiot). Letting everyone know that this is your approach doesn't have much, if any, downside and alleviates this problem. Having another person to tag team with makes it less exhausting. It works for the same reason that Stern's approach works - people love to tell you how you are wrong.
What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
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Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#22However, the best way Howard gets the truth out of his guests is by lying directly to them about a specific piece of their life. By telling them a lie about themselves, the very first reaction they have is to correct it and by doing so, they give the answer he’s searching for. This is very useful Usenet+ trick to get an answer to a question. You could be nice and simply ask a question: "How can I do X in Y?" and you…
I've done this gathering requirements, getting acceptance (PR, release notes, tech docs, UI designs), problem solving, etc. Make up something plausible, but wrong, and label it "final proof" with a deadline two days away. This technique works a little bit like adding a duck (Battle Chess reference).
Works for me because I care more about winning than being right, so I'm not embarrassed to be wrong.
Lot's of reasons people withhold information for whatever reason. Most geeks are introverts, so are reluctant to speak up. Some people don't want to be embarrassed. Many, many aren't aware of what they know. It's easier to criticize than to create. And, yes, some people are gate keepers, hoarding information.
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#23The Interviews are more interesting if the person is naked. If you don't have to follow the broadcast rules, you can ask questions nobody else can. If you hire a black female as your co-host people won't be so quick to call you a racist or sexist. (that's what I learned)
Looks like you don't know the first thing about Howard Stern.
Really? I think he nailed it.
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#24The Louis CK video isn't time tagged.... Woops. I mean: The Louis CK video does not have a single example of the author's thesis in it!
The second video is a dud too. Towards the end, Bryan Cranston admits that indeed, he married at 23.
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#25"Learning this skill won’t necessarily make you a better software engineer, or entrepreneur, but it can get information from people that are otherwise not willing to reveal it."
Pfft, every successful entrepreneur I've met from the Kansai area of Japan does this. The first step is knowing the price of everything, isn't it?
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Looks like you don't know the first thing about Howard Stern.
Really? I think he nailed it.
I've listened daily for the last 10 years and I can shed some light.
> "The Interviews are more interesting if the person is naked."
> "If you don't have to follow the broadcast rules, you can ask questions nobody else can."
> "If you hire a black female as your co-host people won't be so quick to call you a racist or sexist."
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
Really? I think he nailed it.
I've listened daily for the last 10 years and I can shed some light. > "The Interviews are more interesting if the person is naked." This is absolutely not true. The best and most interesting interviews are the celebrity interviews, not the porn stars. Does Howard actually think he's going to get Denise Richards to take her top off? No. It's a tactic just like the tactics in this article. She says no the the extreme,…
Hey nowwwwwww!
I'd like to add that it's true that now that Howard is on Sirius he can be more graphic in his questions, but even when he was on terrestrial radio he asked questions nobody else did.
It's also quite clear to anyone who's a fan of the show that Robin was not hired so that Howard could get away with racism or sexism. Robin wasn't even hired by Howard when they first met.
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#28Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#29What was fun to me was when Howard interviewed Paul McCartney. Howard tried ever interview trick in the book, and Paul deftly swatted them away. It was great watching two masters spar at each other. I saw the same thing when Prince Charles was interviewed by 60 Minutes, where Prince Charles effortlessly parried every tactic tried by the reporter.
I don't think he swatted them all away. He let some things slip by, although I've no doubt it was not spontaneous "let my guard down and got caught accidentally" on Paul's part.
I got the clear impression from Paul that he only revealed what he wanted to, not what Howard manipulated him into revealing. This is unlike what happens with his other guests.
Re: What I learned from Howard Stern about interviewing people
#30What was fun to me was when Howard interviewed Paul McCartney. Howard tried ever interview trick in the book, and Paul deftly swatted them away. It was great watching two masters spar at each other. I saw the same thing when Prince Charles was interviewed by 60 Minutes, where Prince Charles effortlessly parried every tactic tried by the reporter.
YouTube of audio:
Howard Stern Show : Sir Paul McCartney Interview 10/08/13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd80ZB5YxsM