How To Conduct Interviews in Qualitative Research

Understanding Qualitative Research Interviews

Qualitative research interviews are in-depth conversations that help companies learn what customers think and feel. Unlike surveys with simple "yes" or "no" answers, these interviews allow participants to share their own stories and beliefs. This personal approach encourages honest discussion and deeper insights.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Interviews

Understanding the difference between qualitative and quantitative interviews is important:

• Quantitative interviews focus on collecting data with numbers, such as measuring satisfaction or preferences.
• Qualitative interviews center on people’s ideas, experiences, and opinions. They use open-ended questions, allowing participants to explain their thoughts in detail.

Both types of interviews give businesses valuable insight, but qualitative methods give a richer look at how and why customers make choices.

Benefits for Businesses

Businesses use qualitative research interviews to:

• Understand customers’ needs and expectations
• Discover how products or services fit into daily life
• Clarify marketing messages for better results
• Generate new ideas for brand or product improvement

According to a 2019 study, companies that listen to feedback and adjust to customer needs are more successful.

When to Use Qualitative Interviews

Qualitative interviews are best when you want to explore:

• Customer behaviors and reasons for choices
• The social habits of people in a group
• Why certain trends or opinions are common in your audience

Types and Formats of Qualitative Interviews

You can conduct qualitative interviews in a few ways:

• One-on-one, for a personal deep dive
• Focus groups, where several people discuss a topic at once
• Over the phone or through video chat for convenience or remote access
• In-person to pick up on body language and other non-verbal cues

Interviews usually last from 30 to 90 minutes, giving participants time to share their experiences.

How To Conduct Qualitative Research Interviews

Use these steps for effective qualitative interviews:

1. Identify Your Objective

• Set clear goals for your research. Ask yourself:
  • Who do I want to interview?
  • What do I want to learn?
  • How will I use the results?
• Having a purpose makes each part of the process smoother and more valuable.

2. Choose Target Respondents

• Decide who will join your interviews.
  • If you have customer lists, it’s easy to reach out.
  • Interviewing strangers takes more time and resources, but can offer fresh viewpoints.

3. Prepare Before the Interview

• Learn about the topic to create better questions.
• Test all equipment, like your audio recorder or video chat tool.
• Pick a location and time that helps participants feel comfortable.

4. Run Practice Interviews

• Try a few test interviews to improve your questions and process.
• Use feedback from tests to remove bias and make the real interviews even stronger.

5. Build Trust with Interviewees

• Share a summary of your topics before you start.
• Let people know how the information will be used.
• Building this trust leads to more honest answers.

6. Practice Active Listening

• Stay focused during the interview. Respond to what participants say, and avoid interrupting.
• Show respect for every answer, even if you disagree.
• Use your notes to follow up on interesting points.

Key Tips for Quality Interviews

• Use clear, simple questions. Make sure participants easily understand what you ask.
• Explain the purpose of the interview and how the data will be used.
• If you don’t understand an answer, politely ask for clarification or repetition.
• Keep the conversation on topic, but allow participants to share extra details if relevant.
• Keep the interview length reasonable—aim for 60 to 90 minutes.
• Summarize the main points at the end and thank the interviewee for their time.

Analyzing Qualitative Interview Data

After the interview, it’s time to make sense of the results. Here’s how:

• Transcribe each interview. Transcripts let you review each answer word for word, including important tone and pauses.
• If you need accurate, fast transcripts, consider using professional transcription services.
• Organize the data by grouping common themes or ideas.
• Interpret the findings to uncover patterns that answer your original questions.
• Check your conclusions by re-reading the transcripts and discussing insights with your team.

Transcripts help you spot non-verbal cues and tone of voice, making your analysis more accurate. In fact, most researchers depend on automated transcription tools to save time and reduce errors.

Using Transcription Tools for Interview Analysis

High-quality transcripts make it easier to:

• Share data with team members
• Find quotes for presentations or reports
• Keep interview records for future reference

Options include manual transcription, AI-powered transcription subscriptions, and hybrid services for extra accuracy.

Conclusion: Simplify Qualitative Research with GoTranscript

Qualitative research interviews give businesses real insight into customer needs and behavior. To get the most from your interviews, use clear questions, listen actively, and organize your findings with accurate transcripts.

GoTranscript offers a full range of solutions for transcription, closed captioning, subtitling, and more. For accurate interview transcripts, try their easy order transcription service today or learn about budget-friendly transcription pricing. Trust GoTranscript to streamline every step of your qualitative research process.