Take a look at this video for a demonstration of the depth of results you can get.

Some say it is difficult to get consumers to give authentic and deep testimony in a traditional qualitative research interview or focus group.

Not if you design your research correctly!

People want to be able to share themselves but certain things need to happen first – sometimes a level of trust needs to be built, and sometimes people simply need time to think and reflect, and a structure to convey the information in a way that feels clear and safe.

Some things to keep in mind when depth is needed:

Schedule enough time for people to get comfortable. Longer interviews might be better.
Start out with a way for people to share easily.
Homework can help them think ahead of time, and then when they are sharing they start by reading or explaining, which is less vulnerable.
Or start with concrete information or less depth, to give them time to get comfortable first.
Exercises that allow them to prepare, think about, plan what they will talk about can help them and the moderator get to a deeper level.

I’d like to tell you about a technique I call a “Story Timeline.” It allows people to reflect and then tell their stories in a way that provides depth and insight into their experiences.

In this example, the objective was to understand “Life Stresses.” People are asked to bring in pictures/images that represent some aspect of the topic, and then at the beginning of the group, are given long paper, markers, and glue/tape and instructed to create a timeline. This allows them to think through changes over time, compare and contrast in their minds, and therefore they give certain kinds of depth they might not otherwise think to say.