Use it to test the actual setup the participant will use, not a different laptop in a quiet office.
Agree what will be recorded
Tell the participant whether you intend to capture camera, audio and any screen sharing, and how the material will be reviewed. Confirm the applicable permission and company approval before recording.
The rehearsal can be brief. Ask the person to speak a few sentences at their normal pace while sitting where the interview will happen. Listen to the recording, rather than relying only on a moving microphone indicator.
Run a small practical check
| Check | What to do | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | Record and play back normal speech | Can the words be understood comfortably? |
| Background sound | Pause briefly while the room is quiet | Identify fans, traffic or other interruptions |
| Camera | Check framing and available light | Keep the speaker visible without distracting changes |
| Connection | Confirm the agreed meeting and recording route | Resolve access prompts before interview time |
| Screen sharing | Open only the agreed material | Remove unrelated tabs, messages and notifications |
| Backup | Agree what happens if the call drops | Continue audio or rebook, depending on the assignment |
The decision is practical: proceed, change the setup or rearrange the session. Do not treat a noisy recording as something the editor can certainly repair later.
Prepare the participant
Give simple instructions. “Please use the same microphone and room for the interview, close notification apps and have the approved example ready” is more useful than a technical specification the person cannot act on.
Avoid turning the rehearsal into a performance lesson. The goal is understandable, comfortable speech. Customers do not need to memorise a brand-approved script.
If a particular device or local recording tool is required, confirm that the participant can use it before promising the delivery date.
Work an example
In a fictional rehearsal, the participant sounds clear while speaking but a desk fan is loud during pauses. Moving the fan away and recording another short sample improves the actual listening test. The camera setup is acceptable, but screen sharing exposes an inbox.
The producer records two actions: keep the revised fan placement and prepare a separate approved document for sharing. The interviewer can now focus on the story instead of troubleshooting in front of the client.
Include accessibility in the plan
W3C’s media-planning guidance treats accessibility as part of production planning. Ask how the finished piece will provide the spoken information and any essential visual explanation. That helps you budget the caption and transcript work before editing.
Once the rehearsal is complete, return to the customer interview brief. Good capture supports good questions; it does not replace the evidence the interview needs to uncover.