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 and 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.