CAPM Practice: Determine how to gather requirements

Structured interviews provide consistent data across stakeholders (good for analysis). Unstructured interviews allow the conversation to follow the stakeholder's thinking, uncovering unexpected requirements. Many BAs use semi-structured interviews combining both approaches.

**Why not B:** The distinction between structured and unstructured interviews is not about the communication medium (written versus verbal). Both types are typically conducted as verbal conversations. The key difference lies in whether the questions are predetermined and standardized or flexible and emergent.

**Why not C:** Duration is not the defining characteristic that separates these two interview types. A structured interview can be either short or long depending on the number of predetermined questions, and likewise an unstructured interview may run longer or shorter depending on where the conversation leads.

**Why not D:** Neither interview type is restricted to a particular stakeholder audience. Structured interviews can be used with executives, and unstructured interviews can be used with technical staff. The choice between them depends on the elicitation goal (consistency versus depth of exploration), not the stakeholder's organizational level.