Advantages | Limitations | |
---|---|---|
Interviews | Relatively easy to organise and carry out. | Reliant on ability of participant to recall information. |
Researcher can probe to clarify meanings or obtain depth of information. | Provides only one perspective so sample needs to incorporate diversity. | |
Observations | Produces real time data, not reliant on accurate recall. | Time consuming; researcher needs to spend long periods of time in the setting. |
Researchers can validate or question information obtained from other methods. | Much of data repetitive; can only report events happening during the observation period. | |
Digital Diaries | Allows participants to provide recent data without interaction of researcher. | Some participant reluctance to speak into an audio-recorder. |
Participants can choose when to participate. | Researchers unable to probe to find meaning in data. | |
Focus Groups | Encourages interaction between participants which can stimulate further discussion. | Reliant on ability of participant to recall information and have the confidence to contribute to a discussion. |
Facilitates discussion of shared experiences such as workplace culture or service user issues. | Requires sufficient numbers of participants available at the same time. | |
Stakeholder workshops | Allows participants and other stakeholders to discuss and provide feedback on findings. | Requires large, accessible venue and adequate facilities. |
Allows group prioritisation of implications for research and intervention. | Requires sufficient numbers of participants available at the same time. |