Qualitative interviews for deeper understanding
Qualitative interviews are the method that gives you the really deep insights, the ones that aren't visible in numbers. Through conversations led by experienced interviewers, you get nuances, reasoning, emotions and drivers that explain why people think and act the way they do.
What are qualitative interviews?
About the method
Qualitative interviews are in-depth conversations where the interviewer asks open questions and follows up responses to elicit reasoning, emotions and explanations. It's a flexible method adapted to the target group, situation and purpose. The method provides depth, context and understanding, and is often an important complement to quantitative studies.
With qualitative interviews you can find out:
Why customers or employees feel the way they do
How they reason about choices, needs and behaviours
What emotions, barriers and drivers influence decisions
How they experience your offering, a service or a situation
What lies behind a certain answer in a quantitative survey
How ideas, concepts or prototypes are received
Interview formats
Flexible formats for different needs
Phone interviews
Fast and efficient way to reach respondents regardless of location
Digital interviews
Personal conversation with visual contact at a distance
In-person meetings
In-depth face-to-face conversations for maximum engagement
Areas of use
When are qualitative interviews most suitable?
The method is perfect when you need nuances, reasoning and human understanding.
Understand why people act or think in a certain way
Explore needs, barriers and drivers
Test concepts, ideas or prototypes at early stages
Follow up results from a quantitative survey
Capture experiences and emotions not visible in numbers
Understand complex decisions or behaviours
Get deeper insights before a major initiative or change