How to do an interview?

Getting ready:

Plan your questions: Think of what you want to know and what are your key research questions. It is essential to ask open-ended questions like "Tell me about..." with backups like "Why is that important?"

Be cognizant of interviewees emotions/experience: While writing questions and the interview script, ensure that the questions are respectful and not intrusive to any of the interviewees experiences.

Doing the Interview:

Setting the context: Make sure to introduce yourself and the reasons of the interview before starting the conversation. It is very important for the interviewer to set clear intentions and create psychological safety for their participants.

Listen carefully: Let the person you're talking to lead the conversation. Pauses are okay, they help them think. Pay attention to what they say and how they say it. You can learn more about listening in research here.

Stay on track: Use your planned questions to make sure you cover everything important. Ask "Why?" and "How?" to learn more.

Some videos to get you thinking about how you can think about learning from people and about their challenges:

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