Qualitative Research Methods for Growing Businesses and Organizations
While I’m not an analyst in any way, I’ve aggregated a list of my favorite methods for conducting Qualitative Research that has benefited my Design Process. These methods can help any business owner or organization feel more confident moving forward with proper design solutions in their industry.
As with any research project, first, you must identify the problem necessary to research alongside a clear statement of purpose. Unless you’re creating a hypothesis to confirm, develop this problem and statement without speculation on potential answers to the problem, allowing any secondary problems to develop and accompany your main research question.
Qualitative Research
Use Qualitative Research when you’re looking to develop ideas. Layers of the ‘real world’ and how individuals interact with their natural settings begin to surface as qualitative findings unfold. By examining people’s thoughts, feelings, and interpretations of how they experience and see the world, research gathered will help explain the psychological reasoning and answers behind the research question posed.
I’ll be pulling summaries from the book Universal Methods of Design, created by Bella Martin and Bruce Hanington to properly characterize steps behind each of the Research Methods recommended.
CASE STUDIES
The case study is a research strategy involving in-depth investigation of single events or instances in context, using multiple sources of research evidence.
By using a variety of data, a Case Study is an exploratory research method which analyzes specific situations or occurrences. Case Studies are used to understand existing phenomena for comparison, information, or inspiration as well as studying the effects of change, new programs or innovations. Case Studies are usually a compilation of several methods or research including interviews, observations, and document analysis.
To start:
Identify your design problem
Make an initial hypothesis with questions posed to articulate a solution and direct research
Conduct research through interviews, observations, and other forms of information gathering
State specifics behind what you will be focusing your studies on along with what you will be avoiding in the study, setting clear parameters
Set these parameters through time and activity, time and place, or definition and document analysis
Develop a generalized theory and story to tell from your findings
Market and design for this theory
Due to its qualitative attributes, a human narrative can develop which will contribute to the design process.
DESIGN ETHNOGRAPHY
Design Ethnography approximates the immersion methods of traditional ethnography to deeply experience and understand the user’s world for design empathy and insight.
Here, researchers are walking into the natural setting of their study’s environment. Through observation of behaviors and context, the research found can summarize an empathetic understanding of the user and their lives. Themes and patterns can be identified to generate further concept development for a product or design.
FLY-ON-THE-WALL OBSERVATION
Fly-on-the-Wall Observation allows the researcher to unobtrusively gather information by looking and listening without direct participation or interference with the people or behaviors being observed.
This will not provide an empathetic understanding of an audience. Instead, as a secret observer, you can document the unshifted activities, environments, interactions, objects and devices used, and the type of people or users that are present.
DIRECTED STORYTELLING
Directed Storytelling allows designers to easily gather rich stories of lived experiences from participants, using thoughtful prompts and guiding and framing questions in conversation.
The guided narrative keeps the conversation flowing and the storyteller comfortable. Prompt the participant with questions posed to describe the who, what, when, where, and how behind the story to be developed. Have one researcher document the findings as the other conducts the conversation.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews are a fundamental research method for direct contact with participants, to collect firsthand personal accounts of experience, opinions, attitudes, and perceptions.
Interviews are best conducted in-person to recognize body language and expressiveness of the respondent. An informal interview should be conducted through a guided set of topics to create a more comfortable flow and sense of conversation from the responder. If you’re open to exploration, allow this unstructured format to create potential diversions in conversation. Otherwise, follow a more formal format by adhering to the script to ensure there is little to no altered interpretation from the respondent.
QUESTIONNAIRES
Questionnaires are survey instruments designed for collecting self-reported information from people about their characteristics, thoughts, feelings, perceptions, behaviors, or attitudes, typically in written form.
Pay careful attention to the question wording and response options to ensure unbiased answers and limited confusion. Try pairing a Questionnaire that utilizes written responses with an observational or self-reported study to supplement research findings with more personal insights.
DIARY STUDIES + PHOTO STUDIES
Diaries or journals are guiding artifacts that allow people to conveniently and expressively convey personal details about their daily life and events.
The diaries are self-reported and prompted by the research team, providing a sampling of thoughts, feelings and behaviors from participants across a certain time period. Examples of prompts would be having a user document each time they engage in a particular behavior, encounter a situation, or have other specific types of interactions. These can even be essential for testing usability studies for innovative digital products.
You can expand a diary study from strictly written to other digital formats including photos, videos, and audio.
TRIADING
Triading is an interviewing technique that reveals deep-seated attitudes, perceptions, and feelings toward brands, products, and services.
This is the most effective method of research when trying to analyze competitors and their products and also when comparing interface design options.
After selecting six to ten related brands, products, or services, a participant selects three of the examples to explain their feelings and opinions on that particular example. Deeper insights behind particular brands should begin to surface after a multitude of data emerges from the participant analysis — removing any biases from the researcher.
To properly analyze any information collected from the above methods, be sure to organize and categorize the data, interpret each instance, identify any underlying themes or patterns developing, and generalize an understanding from the content to provide a proper conclusion or recommendation when moving forward.
Martin, Bella, and Bruce Hanington. Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions. Rockport Publishers, 2012.
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