The 30-Minute Interview Methods Guide: Lessons From Over 100 Interviews in the Health Policy Domain

Over the past five years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, qualitative research has evolved, with a shift to online settings and rapid analysis techniques, enhancing access and streamlining research processes. When recruiting health policy professionals and digital public health stakeholders with time constraints for qualitative studies, we encountered a challenge that remains underexplored in the literature: how to conduct interviews under 30 min while ensuring high data quality, depth and maintaining research rigour. Drawing on over 100 short interviews undertaken across four studies in health policy and digital public health, we provide experience-based guidance on addressing this challenge. We outline key methodological adaptations required to (1) secure participation from time-constrained professionals and (2) obtain meaningful insights despite limited time. These range from strategies adopted prior to the interview - such as sampling approach, preparation of materials, and interviewer training - to in-interview adaptations, including time management techniques and choices regarding recording and note-taking, all aimed at optimising the use of limited interview time. Our experience contributes to the advancement of qualitative research methods by reporting that, through extensive pilot testing and a carefully designed interview guide, 30-min short interviews can generate valuable data while accommodating professionals’ schedules and maintaining research rigour. This approach expands the reach of qualitative research, enabling data collection from individuals otherwise inaccessible due to time constraints.