Interviewing is a valuable primary research method, and choosing from the different interviewing techniques is the first step in the process of undertaking this type of research. Interviews allow you to learn more detailed information. Whether you are interviewing one expert or gathering information from a small group of individuals, you must decide how to conduct the interview.
The five most common interview techniques include the following interview types:
Face-to-face interviews Webcam interviews Telephone interviews Email interviews Instant message/chat interviews
With each interviewing technique, there are advantages and disadvantages, so choosing the right one for your primary research method is done by considering the value of each type, time or location constraints and the personal preferences of you and the people you interview.
Interviewing techniques
There are five main interviewing techniques you can use as a primary research method.
Face-to-face interview—With this type of interview, you and the person you are interviewing are in the same location and are speaking directly to one another. Benefits of this type of interviewing technique include being able to see and hear social cues, to adapt your questions based on how the person you are interviewing responds and to record a copy of the interview that you can later be transcribed to use as a reference. This is often the best option if it meets the needs and availability of both you and your interview subjects. Webcam interviews—With this type of interview, you and the person you are interviewing are face-to-face via webcam technology. It offers the same benefits as a traditional face-to-face interview, and recording either the audio or the video output is a good idea in order to transcribe it and refer back to the transcript as a reference. This type of interviewing technique is also useful