Written by Erika Yi, Ph.D.
Interviews are one of the best methods for qualitative research. Most qualitative UX researchers are familiar with building rapport and conducting interviews, but that is not the end of a qualitative research. The analysis process of the interview data is not only vital to render useful research insights but also essential to build your credibility as a responsible qualitative researcher. We don’t have time to explore all the nuance of qualitative data analysis in this article, instead, we will focus on the coding aspect of data.
Why Do You Need Code Your Qualitative Data?
Coding the qualitative data makes the messy scripts quantifiable. How are you going to convince the stakeholders that the insights you collected in the interviews actually reflect users’ needs and wants but not something you just eyeballed five minutes before the meeting? Simple, show them your data.
Codes in qualitative research are as important as numbers in a quantitative study. Your codes give you credibility when presenting them to your teams, your clients, and your stakeholders. With proper coding, you can say with confidence that these findings are in fact, representing the majority of user feedback.
