MiniInterviews

MiniInterviews are concise, structured interviews designed to extract key insights from a respondent within a short time frame. The format emphasizes brevity and focus: interviews typically run one to five minutes and involve a small set of carefully chosen questions. Responses should be informative and quotable.

Format and practice: A typical MiniInterview uses a short script of open-ended questions with optional follow-up prompts. Questions cover core themes such as experiences, opinions, and predictions. Interviews may be conducted in person, by phone, or online and recorded as audio or video.

Origins and usage: MiniInterviews evolved from traditional long-form interviewing and the demand for portable, shareable content in radio, television, and digital media. They are now common in journalism, marketing, corporate communications, and educational settings.

Applications: In media, they provide quick soundbites for news clips and social videos. In research, they enable rapid sampling across populations. In classrooms, instructors use them to teach interviewing skills and gather student perspectives.

Advantages and limitations: The main advantage is efficiency—many perspectives with limited time and resources. They support easy comparison across interviews and can reach diverse respondents. Limitations include shallower coverage, potential superficiality, and a higher demand on interviewer skill and question design. Ethics and consent are essential.

Variants and related formats: Similar approaches include rapid-fire interviews, quick Q&As, and micro-interviews, which mix structured prompts with fast pacing or flash questions to vary tone and tempo.