Tag Archives: interviewing

10 “DOs” for the In-Context Interview

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For better or for worse, the interview is probably the largest part of the qualitative researcher’s job.  Learning to do it well is harder than it appears, particularly when it is in context rather than a formal, or even semi-formal, setting.  The in-context  interview is a lengthy conversation (often 2+ hours) that explores the values, needs, practices, desires, frustrations, and aspirations of our participants.  With that in mind, there are some simple tips to remember when conducting an in-context interview.  First and foremost, it is a conversation.  With that as the guiding principle, remember these points.  The conversation should:

  • Be long enough to make your participant or participants feel like they are really being heard.  This allows them to get past the desire to tell you things they think you want to hear and to move beyond their rehearsed “script.”
  • Be focused enough so that you feel you are getting useful information to address your business challenge, but general enough so that the conversation can take unexpected turns which lead to unexpected insights.
  • Generate a back-and-forth conversation rather than an interrogation. This establishes greater rapport and puts the interviewee at ease.
  • Make the interviewee feel that the conversation is about them, not about the product, service, or brand.
  • Ask open-ended questions, or questions that require a longer explanation than one word.
  • Have a dynamic conversation,  don’t interview from a script.
  • Allow long pauses rather than filling “dead” space.  Participants will fill that conversational space for you.
  • Be willing to ask naïve questions to hear the explanation in their words – the participant is the expert so let them educate you.
  • Don’t correct people; understand their perceptions and why they perceive things as they do.
  • Know when and when not to “lead.” Once rapport is established, it is perfectly reasonable to point out discrepancies in what people say and do (e.g. they say they eat at the dinner table as a family every night, but there is half an inch of dust on the table – ask about this).

Conducting a Better Participant Interview

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For better or worse, the interview is where we receive a large percentage of your information on subjects or groups. The ability to conduct a successful and insightful interview will determine the depth of information you will be able to collect and the and the validity of that information. KEEP IN MIND:

  • Reading off a line of questions will create a barrier between the researcher and the subject as well as produce a stale wooden rapport.
  • Ask open-ended questions rather than simple yes/no queries. Don’t lead the subject.
  • Questions should be clear and phrased in contextually intelligible and appropriate language.
  • It’s an interview, not an interrogation. Relax, forget about getting “the” answer an establish rapport.
  • Get to know the subject(s). Ask them questions about the house, family, life, etc. It’s important for them to trust the relationship and to be open.
  • Add depth with follow-up questions.
  • Have the subject actively demonstrate their points if possible.  “My truck makes a sound.” = Get in the truck and check it out .

NON-VERBAL PROMPTS

What you do and how you interact with your subject(s) is just as  important as what you say. Body-language and signage by your  subject(s) is also important. Make sure to pay attention to the details even if you’re making notes. Remember:

  • Remove coat (coats and objects are interpreted as barriers).
  • Mind that your notes or camera are not directly between you and the subject.
  • Maneuver subject(s) into a seated position not facing an immediate point of egress.
  • The subject should feel secure, but not enclosed.
  • Be aware of your body language and inflection.
  • Be observant of the body language, gesture-calls, posture, eye  movement etc. of the subject(s).
  • Silence is your friend.
  • Nodding but not saying anything will produce silence, which the subject will often try to fill by continuing deeper into a line of  explanation or discovery.  However, don’t spend your whole time nodding – let’s face it, it gets creapy.

Gavin