Participant Directed Mobile Interviews: A Data Collection Method for Conducting In-Situ Field Research at a Distance

COVID-19 restrictions necessitated innovative online adaptations to conventional qualitative methods; however, virtual interviews do not permit capturing visual data from participants’ environments. Traditional mobile interviews conducted in situ provide contextual, relational, and situational knowledge. Virtual adaptations of mobile interviews have been theorized but not fully tested. This paper compares experiences with an online interview and a virtual adaptation of a mobile interview, the Participant-Directed Mobile Interview (PDMI), during a pilot study examining the design elements of private dental office waiting rooms as symbolic presentations of a dentist’s and dental clinic’s identity. Participants ( n = 4), who worked in private dental clinics and had participated in the planning and designing the waiting room, were selected using a purposive and convenience sample design. Participants were required to have access to a mobile device, the internet, and the Zoom cloud-based video conferencing platform. A semi-structured interview preceded PDMI, and both were recorded on Zoom. Unlike the online semi-structured interview, PDMI revealed the participant’s relationship to the space, produced more nuanced and contextual data and clarified the meaning of subjective statements and terms. Mobile devices used by the participant (iPad/mobile phone) provided the researcher with a view of the space and access to visual and relational data that would not be possible if the camera focused on the participants alone. Participants could freely explore, interact with, and reflect on the space in real-time, enhancing the depth and breadth of responses. PDMI was limited by participants’ access to and choice of equipment and internet services and their technical skill level. This technique could be applied to circumstances beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. PDMI could increase access, reduce research costs in distant or remote communities, and provide valuable insights within various methodologies and disciplines.