Beyond projection: using collaborative visualization to conduct qualitative interviews
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
ISSN: 1746-5648
Article publication date: 3 June 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to argue for the reflective use of visual techniques in qualitative inter-viewing and suggests using visuals not only as projective techniques to elicit answers, but also as facilitation techniques throughout the interview process.
Design/methodology/approach
By reflecting on their own research projects in organization and management studies, the authors develop a practical approach to visual interviewing – making use of both projective and facilitation techniques. The paper concludes by discussing the limitations of visualization techniques, and suggesting directions for future research on visually enhanced interviewing.
Findings
The integration of projective and facilitation techniques enables the interviewer to build rapport with the respondent(s), and to elicit deeper answers by providing cognitive stimulation. In the course of the interview, such an integrative approach brings along further advantages, most notably focusing attention, maintaining interaction, and fostering the co-construction of knowledge between the interviewer and the interviewee(s).
Originality/value
This paper is reflective of what is currently occurring in the field of qualitative interviewing, and presents a practical approach for the integration of visual projection and facilitation in qualitative interviews.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The project on Knowledge Communication in a community of practice – discussed in the section “Examples from the Field” – was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Project No. CR12I1_126917, applicants Nicole Bischof and Martin Eppler). The Authors acknowledge further support from the Swiss National Science Foundation Grant No. PBTIP1-140022 (Applicant Alice Comi). The authors would like to acknowledge Dr Susan Ainsworth, QROM Associate Editor, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on an earlier version of this paper. This paper also benefited from conversation with Sabrina Bresciani, Friederike Hoffmann, and members of the Knowledge Communication Research Group (www.knowledge-communication.org/).
Citation
Comi, A., Bischof, N. and J. Eppler, M. (2014), "Beyond projection: using collaborative visualization to conduct qualitative interviews", Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 110-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-05-2012-1074
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited