A Practical Guide to Collaborative Qualitative Data Analysis

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of a structured, rigorous approach to collaborative qualitative analysis while attending to challenges associated with working in team environments. The method is rooted in qualitative data analysis literature related to thematic analysis, as well as the constant comparative method. It seeks to capitalize on the benefits of coordinating qualitative data analysis in groups, while controlling for some of the challenges introduced when working with multiple analysts. The method includes the following six phases: (a) preliminary organization and planning, (b) open and axial coding, (c) development of a preliminary codebook, (d) pilot testing the codebook, (e)…