The listening aspect of interviewing skills is often overlooked when discussing best practices for conducting qualitative research.
We hear a lot about crafting great questions, understanding key nuances about your interviewee or client ahead of time, and effective ways to drill into topics of interest. We hear far less about how to become a great interviewer by leveraging active listening skills.
The first trick is to stay quiet, one beat longer than you think you should. We are programmed to avoid any gap in conversation, so while the impulse is to jump into your next question right away, the better option is to let an interviewee elaborate and tell you more. Most of the time, when you wait a few seconds after the interviewee has “finished” answering a question, they continue with even more valuable insights.
Instead of jumping in or bringing up follow-up questions the moment you think of them, be patient. Write them down and wait for a good opportunity to circle back. Maybe a question you have planned for later could be enhanced by referencing an insight just mentioned. This not only makes the conversation feel more natural, but it also demonstrates active listening.
Make sure interviewees feel like you understand what they are saying. Especially when it comes to technical topics, it is important to recapitulate what they have told you and provide an opportunity for them to clarify or enhance your understanding. Sometimes saying, “Let me make sure I have this right,” can lead to stronger and more precise details.
Finally, always try to lean into the conversation, literally and metaphorically. Adjust your posture to show you are interested in what they are saying, and lean closer to the interviewee, or your webcam when working remotely. Likewise, make the interview feel like a comfortable conversation. Respond to answers with acknowledgement, appreciation, and curiosity before moving on.
Listening is not always obvious to the one doing the talking, but with these practices your next qualitative interview will feel a little lighter, a little easier, and you’ll get a whole lot more information for analysis.
We love market research at Ideba! Get in touch with us via LinkedIn and let us know what you do to make qualitative interviews as valuable as possible.
Lee Sumner – VP Research
