This is a great hobby, because you can pick it up at any time. However, it may not be as easy to put it back down. By asking questions and eliciting stories, try to gather as much information as they can pass on to you. This will include the names of various relatives and their relationship, places where the family lived, dates or time periods of moves, and dates of events such as births, deaths, marriages, and even graduations. Ask questions that are specific and that are designed to jog your informant's memory.
Photos are an excellent tool for calling forth memories and family stories.
Be sure to keep track of where your information comes from. When conducting an oral interview, take good notes. Use a tape recorder or possibly a video camera if the person you are interviewing agrees to this. In time you may develop preferences, but in a pinch any style will do. After all, it is more important to record your information than to worry about the format of the chart you are using.