Interviewing & Evidence Collection Tip: The Value of a Planning SnapCharT®

A SnapCharT® is a simple tool for drawing a sequence of events.  It can be drawn on sticky notes or in the TapRooT® software.  Sometimes we refer to the SnapCharT® in its initial stages as a “planning” SnapCharT®.

If you are a TapRooT® user, you know that the SnapCharT® is the first step in conducting a root cause investigation. It doesn’t matter if you’re investigating a simple incident or major accident – SnapCharT® is always the starting line. So why is a SnapCharT® essential for evidence collection and interviewing?

When you begin an investigation, you are working with suppositions, assumptions and second hand information. The planning SnapCharT® will guide you to who you need to interview and what evidence you need to collect to develop a factual sequence of events and appropriate conditions that explain what happen during the incident. Remember, a fact is not a fact until it is supported by evidence.  

The planning SnapCharT® is used to:

• develop an initial picture of what happened.
• decide what information is readily available and what needs to be collected immediately.
• establish a list of potential witnesses to interview.
• highlight conflicts that exist in the preliminary information.
• plan the next steps of interviewing and evidence collection.

The SnapCharT® provides the foundation for solid evidence collection. To learn more about using a SnapCharT® for evidence collection, register for our Pre-Summit course, “TapRooT® Evidence Collection and Interviewing Techniques to Sharpen Investigation Skills,” March 9 – 10, 2020. We also can come to your facility and teach this course as a 1-day course. Contact us to learn more.