This method is presented as an informal private conversation, that conducts by interviewer in accordance with the pre-planned scenario. In such conversation can be used techniques that promoting circumstantial discussion of the topics that are interesting for the customer. The length of the conversation can be from 30 up to 60 minutes. With the help of the interview of this type it is possible to fully reveal the respondent’s personal position, concerning the beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions that relates to the subject of study.
In recent years, the marketing researches field tends to bigger formalization of the in-depth interviews method. It is expressed in the striving of the Clients and researches obligatory reflect the scenario of the conversation in a questionnaire of in-depth interview, in order to fill it in the process of communication.
At the same time the main working material of such conversations is traditionally were audio recording or a stenogram. The most important attribute of the method is the quantitative analysis of the results that stimulates Clients, who order this research, to chase the number of interviews, wrongly believing that it will help to solve the problem of representativeness.
In-depth interviews can be conducted in next cases:
- In order to examine any underlying common factors and qualities that characterize the respondent behavior as a consumer, voter, etc.;
- To study any delicate, personal issues and questions;
- If there are some risks that the respondent’ opinion could be suppressed by opinion of the group (for example, in a situation with focus-groups).