An interview is a qualitative research<\/a> method that relies on asking questions in order to collect data<\/a>. Interviews involve two or more people, one of whom is the interviewer asking the questions.<\/p>\n
There are several types of interviews, often differentiated by their level of structure. Structured interviews<\/a> have predetermined questions asked in a predetermined order. Unstructured interviews<\/a> are more free-flowing, and semi-structured interviews<\/a> fall in between.<\/p>\n
Interviews are commonly used in market research, social science, and ethnographic<\/a> research.<\/p>\n
Structured interviews<\/strong> have predetermined questions in a set order. They are often closed-ended, featuring dichotomous (yes\/no) or multiple-choice questions. While open-ended structured interviews exist, they are much less common. The types of questions asked make structured interviews a predominantly quantitative<\/a> tool.<\/p>\n
Asking set questions in a set order can help you see patterns among responses, and it allows you to easily compare responses between participants while keeping other factors constant. This can mitigate biases<\/a> and lead to higher reliability and validity. However, structured interviews can be overly formal, as well as limited in scope and flexibility.<\/p>\n
Semi-structured interviews<\/strong> are a blend of structured and unstructured interviews. While the interviewer has a general plan for what they want to ask, the questions do not have to follow a particular phrasing or order.<\/p>\n
Semi-structured interviews are often open-ended, allowing for flexibility, but follow a predetermined thematic framework, giving a sense of order. For this reason, they are often considered “the best of both worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, if the questions differ substantially between participants, it can be challenging to look for patterns, lessening the generalizability<\/a> and validity of your results.<\/p>\n
An unstructured interview<\/strong> is the most flexible type of interview. The questions and the order in which they are asked are not set. Instead, the interview can proceed more spontaneously, based on the participant\u2019s previous answers.<\/p>\n
Unstructured interviews are by definition open-ended. This flexibility can help you gather detailed information on your topic, while still allowing you to observe patterns between participants.<\/p>\n
However, so much flexibility means that they can be very challenging to conduct properly. You must be very careful not to ask leading questions, as biased responses can lead to lower reliability or even invalidate your research.<\/p>\n
A focus group brings together a group of participants to answer questions on a topic of interest in a moderated setting. Focus groups are qualitative in nature and often study the group\u2019s dynamic and body language in addition to their answers. Responses can guide future research on consumer products and services, human behavior, or controversial topics.<\/p>\n
Focus groups can provide more nuanced and unfiltered feedback than individual interviews and are easier to organize than experiments or large surveys. However, their small size leads to low external validity and the temptation as a researcher to “cherry-pick” responses that fit your hypotheses.<\/p>\n