Interview Guide

A semi-structured interview guide is a prompt list, not a script. Its purpose is to ensure you cover the same ground with every participant while leaving room to follow whatever they raise that you did not anticipate — which is usually where the most valuable data comes from.

Structure it as a funnel. Open with broad, easy questions that build rapport, move to the core questions addressing your research questions, and close with a catch-all such as whether there is anything important you have not asked about. Keep questions open-ended and neutral, and plan probes in advance: can you tell me more about that, what happened next, how did that feel.

Pilot the guide with one or two participants and expect to revise it. Questions that seemed clear on paper often confuse people, and the ordering rarely survives first contact. Record and transcribe with permission, write field notes immediately after each interview while impressions are fresh, and begin coding early so you can recognise saturation as it approaches rather than after all interviews are done.