Approaching a participant for an intercept interview

Easy hacks to make your research journey seamless

Approaching a participant for an intercept interview can be challenging. Sometimes you wish someone would just make the introduction and you can get on with the research, but as someone who has the experience, I can tell you that will not work. It’s important to connect with a participant in a friendly and respectful way.

Talking to a participant impromptu can be intimidating, but it’s an essential skill for researchers. Here are some research and communication tips to help you break the ice with a participant.

Remember to pre-plan:

Researcher planning in a room on a whiteboard

1. Define the participant group: Old-young, Genders, roles, buyers or window shoppers, location, category of toys — define everything and then define all the groups you want to talk to. Remember to think of what they will be doing while you want to conduct your research, will they be running late? are they willing to talk? will they have people around?
2. Plan for the rejections: What will you say if they say no? How can you probe?
   Can I do the interview without a recording?
   Would it be alright to just observe you without talking?
   That is alright, I understand you need space.
   My apologies I didn't mean to intrude
3. Gadgets: Plan what you need to do — take pictures? Take videos? record video? plan your output to plan what you do on field and then choose what gadgets you need.
   - Most times a phone is all you need.
   - Travel light, you need to walk or stand for long hours, and you can’t have multiple things on you.
   - Be prepared with backups, and check for wifi connections on field or good network connections.
4. Plan your Time
   - If a participant accepts to talk to you, you might need 30mins to 1hr to conduct the interview
   - Do keep aside time for note-making and checking the photos and videos of the participant
   - Make time to discuss with your teammates about your findings and difficulties
   - Do remember to stick to the plan while you are on the field
5. Discussion guide: You can plan the basic questions but you can not remember all of them

During the Field:

The biggest learnings happen in the field, you miss them here and you might never notice it again.

People walking in a mall

1. Be fully present: You are there to conduct interviews, be present fully — no personal phones, no munching, no daydreaming.
   - Be ready to go overtime
   - Be ready to run
   - Be ready to be hungry
   - Be ready to be happy with this follow
   - This might take time so be patient at all times
2. Play the role: If you are in the office, be professional — dress professionally, act professionally & if you are interviewing in a toy store it is okay to be friendly and jumpy, be like a kid and you might enjoy the space and the research better.
3. Identify the participant you want to interview: Look for someone who fits the criteria of your study and seems approachable.
   For example, if you’re conducting a study on consumer behaviour in a mall, you might look for someone who is carrying shopping bags and appears to be browsing.
4. Introduce yourself: Approach the participant and introduce yourself by saying your name and a little bit about yourself.
   - This helps the stranger to get to know you and feel more comfortable talking to you.
   - A warm smile and a friendly tone can go a long way in making a stranger feel comfortable talking to you
   - Explain that you’re conducting a study and would like to ask them a few questions. Be polite and friendly, and try to put them at ease.
5. Explain the study: Provide a brief overview of the study and explain why their participation is important. Let them know that their responses will be anonymous and confidential.
6. Ask for consent: Ask the participant if they’re willing to participate in the study. If they say yes, thank them and proceed with the interview. If they say no, thank them for their time and move on to the next potential participant. In this consent make sure to ask for a recording and if you need it to get them to agree on a consent form
7. Conduct the interview: Ask your questions and listen carefully to the participant’s responses.
   - Try to keep the interview brief and focused, and avoid asking leading or biased questions.
8. Get to know them: You are there to understand their experiences not tell them your life story.
   - No reasons to look for common interests or shared experiences that you can discuss with the participants.
   - Be respectful of their opinions and listen, make a note of them, and question only to understand better not to contradict them.
9. Click Click Click: Take pictures, take videos, of the participant, of what they touch, where they look, places they go, their surroundings — Everything that you can think of. This will help you later.
10. Follow all your basic research methods: Ask open-ended questions, Ask why? Ask them to show & tell, ask for examples, Let them finish before you speak, be attentive, don’t break their flow of shopping and do not ever confuse them or mislead them.
11. Listen actively: Pay close attention to what the stranger is saying, and show that you’re interested by nodding, maintaining eye contact, and responding appropriately.
    - Take notes if needed, but focus on being with them, observing their behaviour and listening to them
12. Respect boundaries: Be mindful of the participant’s body language and verbal cues. If they seem uncomfortable or unwilling to talk, respect their boundaries and ask them if they are comfortable to continue
13. End the conversation gracefully
    - Thank the participant for their time and end the conversation on a positive note.
    - Let them know that their input will be valuable for the study.
    - Remind them of the incentive they will receive or give it to them

Remember that talking to strangers can be a positive experience, and it’s an opportunity to learn from others and add value to research.

Be respectful and professional throughout the interview process. If at any point the participant seems uncomfortable or unwilling to participate, thank them for their time and move on.