The Written Questionnaire Interview
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Sending questions in advance for a subject to answer in writing, rather than in a spoken conversation, sacrifices spontaneity for a different kind of precision: a subject can consider each question carefully and produce a more exact, deliberate answer than they might manage under the pressure of live conversation.
The format suits certain subjects and topics better than others. Someone uncomfortable speaking off the cuff, or a subject discussing highly technical material, may produce far more useful material in writing than they would in an unscripted spoken exchange under time pressure. Highly technical material in particular often benefits from the extra care a written answer allows a subject to take.
What is lost is the follow up: a written answer cannot be gently pushed further in the moment the way a spoken one can. Many interviewers use the written form as a starting point, following up afterward with a shorter spoken conversation to probe further.