Topic 6: Data Gathering

Question 1

What are the five key issues when doing data gathering?

Answer 1

1. Setting goals
2. Identifying participants (Decision about sample group & size)
3. Relationship with participants (clear & professional, informed consent)

4.Triangulation (look on data from different perspectives, collect more than one type of data)

5. Pilot study (small trial runs)

Question 2

How can data be recorded?

Answer 2

Notes, audio, video and photographs can used.

Question 3

What types of interviews exist?

Answer 3

Unstructured: no script –> not replicable, but rich of info

Structured: tight script –> replicable, but may lack richness

Semi-structured: guided by script & interesting topics can be explored in more depth –> good balance between richness & replicability

Focus group: a group interview

Question 4

What are the different types of interview questions?

Answer 4

Closed questions: have a predetermined answer format

Open question: no predetermined format

Question 5

What should be avoided when asking questions?

Answer 5

• long questions
• compound sentences
• jargon & language that may not be understood
• leading questions
• unconscious biases

Question 6

What is the typical structure of an interview? And what happens in these steps?

Answer 6

Introduction: introduce yourself & explain the goals, reassure about ethical issues, ask to record, present informed consent form
Warm-up: easy and non-threatening questions
Main body: questions in logical order
Cool-off period: few easy questions to defuse tension
Closure: Thank interviewee & signal the end

Question 7

What are important things to consider about the questionnaire design?

Answer 7

• the question order may influence the answers –> may different versions with varying sequence
• provide clear instructions on how answer
• avoid long questions & questionnaires
• decide whether phrases will all be positive, negative or mixed

Question 8

What are frequent used response formats?

Answer 8

• checkboxes (yes/no or with many options)
• rating scales (Likert scales, semantic scales)
• open-ended responses

Question 9

How can a good response be encouraged?

Answer 9

• make sure that purpose of the study is clear
• promise anonymity
• ensure well designed questionnaire
• offer a short version of questionnaire
• follow-up with emails, phones calls, or letters
• provide an incentive

(40% response rate is good, 20% is acceptable)

Question 10

What are advantages and disadvantages of online questionnaires?

Answer 10

Advantage: easy & quick to distribute, responses received quickly, cost-effective, data format is quickly analyzable, errors can be corrected easily

Disadvantage: sampling is problematic (population size is unknown), individuals can response more than once

Question 11

What types of observations exist?

Answer 11

• direct observation in the field (field experiment)
• direct observation in controlled environment (laboratory experiment)
• indirect observation: tracking users´activities (diaries, video,…)

Question 12

What elements does a structuring framework to guide observations contains?

Answer 12

3 easy to remember parts:
- the person: who?
- the place: where?
- the thing: what?

more detailed framework by Robson 2014:
- Space
- Actors
- Activities
- Objects
- Acts
- Events
- Time
- Goals
- Feelings

Question 13

How to choose the right technique? (or combine)

Answer 13

Depends on:
- focus of the study
- participants
- nature of the techniques
- resources available
- time available

Question 14

What are the most important points about data gathering? (summary)

Answer 14

• clear goals
• informed consent
• 5 key issues: goals, choosing participants, participants relationship, triangulation, pilot study
• how data is recorded (notes, audio…)
• interview type (structured, unstructured or semi-structured)
• direct or indirect observation
• choose of appropriate technique or combination of techniques