Description
- Guided by an interview outline and conducted in person or by phone
- Interviewer probes answers to gain an understanding of motivations, emotions and respondent’s unique thought processes
Applications
- Useful when researcher wishes to drill down for more detail than is possible with a focus group
- Useful for sensitive topics such as medical, gender and ethnicity issues
- Allows for observation of respondent-product interaction (e.g., usability studies, observational, etc.).
Limits
- Time consuming for interviewer and clients—if observing
- Typically fewer respondents than with focus groups
- Lose group-interaction benefit
Value
- Can focus all attention on one person’s attitudes, behaviors, etc.
- No possible group effects
- Ability to probe more sensitive issues
- May cover more issues and present more stimuli per person
