One of the biggest misconceptions in factual investigations is that investigators should record everything an interviewee says. However, this is just not the case! A factual statement is not a transcript of an interview. Nor is it a place to record every opinion, rumour, assumption, or piece of speculation raised during a conversation. Its purpose is to record relevant factual evidence that assists a decision-maker to understand what occurred. Knowing what to leave out is just as important as...

In factual investigations, the answers given by interviewees are often only the starting point. The real value lies in understanding the detail, context, and basis behind those answers. When we talk about depth in a factual investigation, we are not talking about expanding the enquiry into unrelated areas. We are talking about doubling down on what has already been said — asking further questions of the same person about the same statement so its meaning, source, and surrounding...

Independence in a factual investigation is not a slogan or a formality. It is a structural requirement. Without it, an investigation may appear orderly and compliant, while failing to do what it is meant to do. A recurring issue we see in factual investigations is investigators allowing employers or claims managers to direct aspects of the investigative process. This can include directions about who should be interviewed, how interviews should be conducted, the order in which evidence should...