The BEI requires that interviewers have a common understanding of the questions to be asked, the manner in which rapport can be established with an interviewee, and effective use of follow-up questions for probing answers. The research team sought the assistance of a specialist in the BEI process who shared instructional materials about how such interviews should be conducted. The entire research team met at a single site to role-play interviews with administrator-volunteers. These interviews were observed and taped for self-critique and critique by the entire group. When the team judged that a common level of interviewing expertise was evident among all researchers, the individual interviews with CVAs were scheduled.