Market research in-depth interviews

In-depth interviews offer the opportunity to have detailed, open-ended conversations with individual participants. They allow us to explore certain topics or reach particular audiences that would not be possible or appropriate with a focus group methodology. Whether exploring complex customer journeys, testing sensitive ideas, or speaking to senior stakeholders, in-depth interviews are a flexible and highly effective way to understand behaviours, attitudes and perceptions.

In-depth interviews are particularly relevant for:

• Confidential, controversial or sensitive topics: Personal finance, health or sensitive business information, for example.
• Complex or detailed subject matter: Unpicking customer journeys, website testing or exploring sector-specific regulation and procurement processes for example.
• B2B audiences: In-depth interviews can be conveniently arranged to fit in with their busy work schedules.
• Marginalised or vulnerable audiences: Some audiences may feel less comfortable in a group setting and prefer a one-to-one interview.

Encouraging honesty and capturing unbiased feedback.

From interviews about debt, alcoholism and bereavement to software procurement processes and MedTech, there’s not much our sector experts haven’t covered before and all our researchers are trained in the art of in-depth interviewing.

Our approach to in-depth interviews

1. Choosing the right method: Once we have established that in-depth interviews are the right method for your project, we will recommend either online/video, telephone or in person interviews (or a combination). The specific approach will depend on the project objectives as well as budget, timescales and audience. For example, it may be important to gather rich contextual information, or utilise eye tracking technology, so we’ll visit respondents in their home or in a central location. Alternatively, online/video and telephone interviews remove geographical barriers and are typically more cost-effective and flexible. 
2. Recruiting the right people: Our in-house team will carefully recruit participants who match the desired criteria, whether that is based on demographics, behaviours, or attitudes. Whilst in-depth interviews are typically conducted one-to-one, we may recommend paired interviews, for example a couple or a child and parent.
3. Thoughtful moderation: Our experienced moderators know how to put respondents at ease, build rapport and keep conversations on track. Our sector experts design discussion guides to ensure objectives are met.
4. Actionable insight: We don’t just report what people say in interviews. We systematically review transcripts and recordings to identify recurring themes, patterns, and divergences in opinion. We look through a behavioural science lens and we uncover the insight that informs strategic decision-making. We then create engaging, visual reports using rich qualitative data such as video, audio, quotes and case studies to bring the findings to life, along with our carefully considered recommendations.