Qualitative as Method

Qualitative research takes a discovery-oriented, exploratory, inductive approach to both describing and clarifying experience.

It explores a phenomenon of interest using data collected through observation, interviews, document and artifact assessment, and various other forms of fieldwork.*

Unlike quantitative research which focuses on what can be counted or quantified, qualitative research uses "languaged data"** to describe how experience unfolds in naturalistic settings.

Because experience has vertical depth, methods of data gathering such as surveys and questionnaires are often inadequate to capture its richness and fullness.***

Methods for conducting qualitative research are varied, yet generally involve talking to people, either one-on-one or in groups, to gain insight into behaviors, choices, preferences, motivations, and opinions.

In qualitative testing, a small sample size is typical. In fact, the size of the sample is less important than its relationship to research goals. Therefore, conducting "purposeful" sampling of a population of study offers useful manifestations of the phenomenon of interest.

In this way, sampling is aimed at insight about the phenomenon, not empirical generalisation from a sample to a population.****

Although qualitative testing results cannot be generalised into statistically significant findings due to the small sample size, results nonetheless provide important insight to suggest changes and improvements to a system, service, product, or technology. Statistically significant results are not often – or always – the objective, so that principle need not be applied.

Qualitative research is about exploration and insight into "why these phenomena are occurring?" We use qualitative methodologies to gain a deep understanding of a phenomenon and to probe the motivations, preferences, opinions, and cognitive aspects behind (user, stakeholder, consumer, audience, system, etc.) behaviour.

Our primary purpose is to uncover "system problems" and recommend or implement improvements that will result in system-centric designs. For this purpose, qualitative methodology is the best fit. It allows us not only to formatively explore a system, but also to talk directly to users of any system – a key element of system-centered design. By allowing users the freedom to act and speak for themselves, we ground insights, innovations, recommendations, and implementations in their experiences and perspectives.

As qualitative researchers, we want to learn (1) what works, (2) what doesn't work, and (3) how to make formative changes. We collect observations and insights about how people, groups, and the system relate, communicate, share, handle conflict, make decisions, run meetings, guide their work, use technology, prioritise, envision, pivot, scale, spread, and fold, how the system functions and behaves.

A qualitative approach allows the team to explore specific problematic areas of a system's functioning. Through observing, asking generative, reflective, and probing questions, and trialling alternative, co-creative ways we begin to uncover and embed new functionality, tooling, human technologies, surfacing and unlocking capabilities, and shaping collectively true and honest behaviours and voices. In doing so, the system intelligence learns to live into emergence as a way of operating – to more comfortably interact with and shift consistently what does not. Enhancing what is, with more enthusiasm and animation, becomes the elevated baseline.

The result is targeted improvements as an ongoing flow. Improvements that track to direct; shared experience; intentional and strategic outcomes; and individual growth as active, healthy members of the qualitative lab. Results can be measured, yet with the appreciation that findings will shift quickly as new, dimensional phenomena emerge.