2.3 Setting up the interview

There are several practical decisions to make when you set up an interview. These include:

  • How long will the interview be?
  • Will the interview be face to face, online, or over the telephone?
  • Where will the interviewer and interviewee be located?

The length of the interview will depend on what topics the interviewer covers, the questions they ask, and what the interviewee says. This means that interviews with different people within the same research project may take different amounts of time. It is good practice to give interviewees an idea of how much time the interview might take, but for you to make sure you have a little time flexibility after the interview, in case it runs over. Conducting a few test interviews to get an idea of the length is helpful.

Making decisions about whether interviews will be face-to-face or conducted remotely is often influenced by practical considerations regarding the location of the interviewer and interviewee. This decision can also be influenced by considerations about safety – for example if you would need to go alone into someone’s home to carry out an interview then you would need a Research Buddy System. This can include a pre-arranged check in with a colleague before and after the interview, where the colleague has a process to follow if you do not check in with them as planned. Remote interviews can offer more convenience, but they are reliant on the chosen technology (internet connection, phone signal, devices) working well for the duration of the interview.

Whether the interview is face-to-face or not, you need to establish an environment conducive for interview. Try to make sure you have a quiet space and are unlikely to be interrupted. You may want to ask participants to switch their phones to silent with you to prevent you both being disturbed, avoiding important stories being forgotten or interrupted.

Where interviews are conducted in person, ensure all persons involved are picked up on the audio-recording by arranging seating around the recording equipment. Ideally, place the recording equipment on a table, central to all persons. However, if someone has a particularly quiet speaking voice, you may want to consider placing the recording device slightly closer to them. For online interviews that are recorded (for example via Teams or Zoom) make sure all participants can be heard clearly.

You may also need to think about whether participants need to get themselves a drink or have a break. Check in with them mid-way through.

Activity 1

5 minutes

Click here to review an interview room and identify any issues you would need to consider. Click items in the image to see our researchers’ answers.

Victoria and Mari - I have altered the wording to help guide learners to this task more clearly, let me know what you think.

Image asset 476868

Answer

  1. Is the space private? Interviews should be conducted in a room with a closeable door, so the interview can’t be overheard. If you are interviewing via video (for example on Zoom or Teams), it can be helpful to send interviewees information about what kind of space would be suitable for them to be in whilst being interviewed (such as a private space with good internet reception where they can’t be overheard). It is also important to remember that not all interviewees might have access to this kind of space at home, and to have contingency plans for this.

  2. Is the space quiet? If the window is open, noise may come in from outside. Is the space safe? Interviews should be carried out in a space that is physically safe, without obvious dangers. The space needs to be safe for the researcher too. Sometimes researchers go into interviewees’ homes. This can pose unknown risks to the researcher, for example from allergies to pets, tripping over within the house, assault, or from accidental damage to the interviewees’ property. If interviewing in person in interviewees’ homes is necessary in your research, it is important to have a good safety plan. This should include ensuring you have a robust lone worker protocol and appropriate insurance.

  3. Is the space accessible? For an in-person interview, it is important to ensure your interviewee can get into the room, and that there are appropriate facilities to meet their needs. Check whether interviewees have any access needs far enough in advance to arrange an accessible space. This might include step-free access, accessible toilets, appropriate height chairs, or hearing loops. It might also include ensuring the interviewer is not wearing strong perfumes, or that certain substances (such as nuts) are not present in the room. It’s important to check with interviewees whether they have any access needs enough in advance to arrange an accessible space.

  4. Is the space comfortable and conducive to for talking? It is important to set the room up so that the interviewer and interviewee are comfortable during the interview. This means having appropriate chairs, and possibly a small table. It is a good idea to have a drink of, have water available to for you and to offer the same to the interviewee. If the interview might be emotional, having tissues available can be helpful. Think about how you arrange the chairs too – sitting slightly offset or at right angles to each other can be less intense than sitting directly opposite each other.

If your interview is via video, think about what the interviewee will see. Is the lighting in your room suitable – can the interviewee see your face well? What’s behind you in the room? It may be useful to consider either selecting the place you carry out the interviews carefully with the background in mind, or using a virtual background. Sometimes using a virtual background can be a disadvantage, as the interviewee doesn’t have the visual reassurance that you are in a private space where no-one else can hear them, but if you don’t have a suitably lit place with an appropriate background, it may be the best option. Whilst you cannot provide the interviewee with a drink and tissues via video, you might want to suggest to them before beginning the interview that these could be useful things to have to hand, and let them know it’s okay to go and get those if they don’t have them