Supporting interviews with technology: how software integration can benefit participants and interviewers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The interview experience is only one component of the process of interviewing – software programmes can coordinate the pre-interview steps and begin a digitally-mediated relationship with participants long before the actual interview commences. This essay provides examples of how researchers can maximise their time and energy by digitally coordinating the steps of the interview process, thus reducing the logistical time and stress for all involved. Smoothly tying together the user experience from the first click of interest, to consent, to scheduling, and finally payment, confers many advantages to both the interviewer and interviewee. Based on a study with over 700 online interviews conducted from 2019 to 2022, this article gives insight into the platforms and customisation options that allowed a relatively small research team to conduct a large qualitative study. The automation of portions of the typical process allowed us to spend more of our time and intellectual resources on the interviews and initial analysis rather than logistics. We discuss the process of digital consent, interview scheduling using calendar managers, and standardised communication coordination. We describe the participant experience, give detailed descriptions of how we integrated the software associated with interviews, and provide our insights on the process. This article is a timely guide for qualitative researchers to lessen their load by coordinating the logistics of interviewing more efficiently.