Guide · Audit & Interim Management
Conducting a preliminary diagnostic interview
The preliminary diagnostic interview distinguishes the stated request from the actual problem. Indeed, a request framed in terms of a solution often conceals a problem located elsewhere. The interview therefore establishes the facts, locates the problem and gauges the urgency. The guide thus offers a framework of open questions, supplemented by a written debrief.
Stages of the preliminary diagnostic interview
- Preparing the interview.
- The request: in particular, wording and expectations.
- The organisation: in particular, decision-making and governance.
- The stakeholders concerned.
- Constraints: deadlines, resources, compliance.
- Finally, the written debrief on which the decision to act depends.
When to hold a preliminary diagnostic interview
The guide serves first before launching an internal action. It also serves before consulting a service provider. In addition, it sheds light on an urgent request whose scope is still unclear.
Its intended users include, in particular, executives and project managers. The document also concerns internal consultants and support functions.
Instructions for use
The interview is first prepared on the basis of the available documents. The interview then favours open questions, so as to allow the actual problem to emerge. In addition, the notes distinguish facts from opinions. Finally, the written debrief sets out the problem, the probable causes, the urgency and the options, before any decision to launch an action.
Expected outcome
At the end of the interview, the problem is stated precisely, as distinct from the solution initially requested. The urgency is qualified. Consequently, the decision to launch an action, internally or with a service provider, rests on a shared finding documented in writing.
Key facts
| Format | PDF, 2 pages |
|---|---|
| Languages | French, English, Spanish, Arabic |
| Version | October 2026 |
| Access | download after registration |
| Scope | method applicable to any organisation |
Limitations
The guide does not constitute a diagnosis. Moreover, the debrief remains to be validated by the persons interviewed. Finally, the document is to be read together with the notes for use and the references it contains.
Further reading: management consulting in Morocco; Maroc PME.
- Prepared by ASKonsult
- Languages: French, English, Spanish, Arabic
- Version: octobre 2026
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General information document; it constitutes neither legal advice nor an opinion on a particular situation. References to legal texts should be checked against the version in force on the date of use.
Consulting firm not registered with the Bar; no representation before the courts and no act reserved to the regulated legal professions.