Semi-structured Interview

A semi-structured interview is a qualitative research method in which the interviewer works from a guide of open-ended topics or questions but adapts the order, wording, and depth of probing to the flow of each conversation. It sits between a rigid structured interview (fixed script, same for every participant) and a fully-unstructured interview (free-form conversation). In accessibility research the approach is particularly useful when participants' communication styles, pacing, or cognitive access needs vary widely — for example, when interviewing people with cognitive or communication disabilities alongside family members or caregivers. It allows comparable coverage of core topics across participants while leaving room to follow unexpected threads and honour each participant's preferred mode of expression.