Guide: Organize Your Interviews and Transcriptions

A well-organized project structure is crucial for efficient research. This guide shows how you can structure your interviews and transcriptions for maximum productivity.

Project Structure

Recommended Folder Structure

project/
├── 01_interviews/
│   ├── raw_audio/
│   ├── transcriptions/
│   └── metadata/
├── 02_analysis/
│   ├── coding/
│   └── themes/
├── 03_reports/
└── 04_assets/
    ├── images/
    └── documents/

Audio Management

Recording Formats

• WAV - For highest quality (recommended for research)
• MP3 - For smaller files and sharing
• M4A - For iOS devices

Naming Convention

YYYY-MM-DD_Interviewer_Interviewee_ProjectName.wav
Example: 2024-12-12_Marcus_Anna_AI-Interviews.wav

Transcription Management

Automatic vs Manual

• Automatic - Fast, good for first draft
• Manual - Exact, good for final version
• Hybrid - Best of both worlds

Version Control

transcription_v1_automatic.txt
transcription_v2_manual.txt
transcription_v3_final.txt

Metadata and Documentation

Interview Guide

Create a standardized interview guide for each project:

# Interview Guide: [Project Name]

## Background
[Describe the project's purpose and context]

## Interview Questions
1. [Question 1]
2. [Question 2]
3. [Question 3]

## Notes
[Space for notes during the interview]

Participant Information

• Code names - For anonymization
• Demographic data - Age, gender, background
• Contact information - For follow-up

Security and GDPR

Data Protection

• Encryption - Use encrypted storage spaces
• Permissions - Limit access to project members
• Backup - Regular backup

Anonymization

• Remove personally identifiable information
• Use code names in transcriptions
• Limit access to raw data

Tools and Software

Recommended Tools

• Recording - Zoom, Teams, dedicated recorders
• Transcription - Klang.ai, Otter.ai
• Organization - Notion, Obsidian, dedicated research tools

Integration

Many tools can be integrated for smoother workflows:

• Automatic transfer of recordings
• Direct transcription
• Automatic mapping

Best Practices

1. Start Early

Organize your structure before you start collecting data.

2. Be Consistent

Use the same naming conventions and structure throughout the project.

3. Document Everything

Write down decisions and processes for future reference.

4. Regular Review

Review and update your structure regularly.

Troubleshooting

Common Problems

• Files too large - Compress or split
• Confusing names - Use clear conventions
• Lost files - Implement robust backup

Solutions

• Automatic file management
• Centralized metadata
• Regular quality control

Conclusion

A well-organized project structure saves time and improves the quality of your research. Start with simple principles and build on them as you gain experience.

Read more about project organization or try our tools.

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Marcus Hortén is a senior researcher with 15 years of experience in qualitative methodology and project management.