Yes. The IDI is preferred. Time and location constraints are why FG exist. And a robot researcher is almost preferred. Humans are social creatures, so part of the challenge of research is to get the respondant to be open/Frank.

Edit: IDI is InDividual Interview; FG=Focus Group

Too late to edit but IDI also is used as In-Depth Interview by some researchers. Either way, it's a 1-on-1. Not a group.

The way all founders should do their first 100 customer-problem-fit primary research.