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Group Interview

You can come to a quick understanding of a community’s life, dynamics, and needs by conducting a group interview.

Stats

Suggested Time

90-120 Minutes

Level of Difficulty

Moderate

Materials Needed

Pens, paper, camera

Participants

At least 2 members of the design team, 7-10 interviewees


Process Phase

Though a Group Interview may not offer the depth of an individual Interview in someone’s home, it can give you a compelling look at how a larger set of the people you’re designing for operates. The best Group Interviews seek to hear everyone’s voice, get diverse opinions, and are strategic about group makeup. For example, an all-female group might give you insight into the role of women in a society whereas a mixed group may not. If you’re looking to get smart quickly on what is valuable to a community, Group Interviews are a great place to start.

Steps

  1. Identify the sort of group you want to interview. If you’re trying to learn something specific, organize the group so that you have the best chance at hearing it.
  2. Convene the Group Interview on neutral ground, perhaps a shared community space that people of all ages, races, and genders will have access to.
  3. In a Group Interview, be certain to have one person asking the questions and other team members taking notes and capturing what the group is saying.
  4. Come prepared with a strategy to engage the quieter members of the group. This can mean asking them questions directly or finding ways to make the more vocal members of the group recede for the moment.
  5. Group Interviews are a great setting to identify who you might want to go deeper with in a Co-Creation Session.