Status Report 2/3: “In-depth Interviews”
This is our 2nd blog post concerning the status of our current research project regarding the integration of the Fediverse in the EU administration; "EU Voice-Video Case Study".
As a subsequent step (task 2 of 3), we identified at first a pool of available individuals to conduct semi-structured interviews. Our comprehensive questionnaire was crafted to elicit valuable insights from individuals occupying diverse roles within the EU Voice/Video pilot project. Recognising the varying responsibilities and perspectives inherent in these roles, the questionnaire was tailored to the specific role(s) of the interviewee. We anticipated interviewing three primary types of individuals:
- Server Admins – responsible for technical infrastructure, moderation, and governance.
- Users and Social Media Managers – responsible for communication strategies and audience engagement.
- Bureaucrats – involved in the project management, funding, and regulatory aspects of the pilot project.
Some interviewees assumed multiple roles, while others held more specialised responsibilities. To ensure the most relevant information was collected, each individual was subjected to questions tailored to their specific role. Nevertheless, all interviewees underwent a standardised introduction section, and the subsequent sections of the questionnaire were contingent upon the roles or combinations of roles they held.
To ensure data privacy, we implemented a ‘Declaration of Consent’ that stipulated anonymization of all data obtained after collection and the archiving of recorded answers and (moving) images for a period of one year, after which they would be deleted.
At present, we have conducted six in-depth interviews with individuals occupying diverse roles within the EU Voice/Video project. We expect to conduct some further interviews with individuals at the periphery of the pilot project to gain an understanding of the potential benefits as perceived by external experts.
Finally, during this phase 2, we undertake qualitative coding and analysis of all interviews. This final process, which precedes the commencement of our third and final step (Reporting), demands exceptionally time-consuming and dedicated effort, resulting in a 50% completion rate thus far.
Here are the actual steps we took in task number 2, titled “In-depth Interviews”:
- Conduct research and identify a sample pool of potential participants.
- Conduct semi-structured interviews and transcribe the recordings. (We anticipate conducting some additional interviews.)
- Qualitative code and analyse the interviews (which is 50% completed due to the time-consuming and dedicated nature of the work.)