Visualization of qualitative data: what CAQDAS packages provide

Most researchers have probably heard of data visualization (visual outputs). Visual representations are helpful during all phases of data analysis. They allow the identification of patterns using graphs, maps, tables, diagrams, and flowcharts. Some examples of visual outputs of qualitative data (unstructured and non-numerical data) will be presented in this context. Qualitative data include journal articles (in the case of systematic reviews), individual and group interviews, focus groups, questionnaire surveys, social media, videos, and images.

It can be said that the visual output concentrates and synthesizes a quantity of data, facilitating the explanation for the readers. Depending on the phase of the study the researcher is in, s/he can use visual outputs at different stages of research: exploration or obtaining insights; interpretation or inference of data and reporting, sharing, and discussing results.

In this presentation, we discuss the most used Visual Outputs made available by some CAQDAS on the market.

Speakers

António Pedro Costa

António Pedro Costa is one of the software researchers to support qualitative analysis webQDA (www.webqda.net), an area where he has published, in co-authorship, several papers in national and international congresses and journals, as well as book chapters. He currently teaches curricular units of research methodologies. He is the Coordinator of the Ibero-American Congress on Qualitative Research (www.ciaiq.org) and the World Conference on Qualitative Research (www.wcqr.info) and Qualitative4Bussiness (www.qual4b.ludomedia.org). He has been guest editor of several special issues on Qualitative Research, notably in the co-organisation of some books entitled "Computer Supported Qualitative Research" published by Springer.

Catarina Brandão

Assistant Professor at the University of Porto and researcher on the Center for Psychology at University of Porto (CPUP). Coordinator of the Organizational, Work, and Social Psychology area of the Integrated Master course in Psychology from January 2016 to February 2019. Founder and coordinator of the Organizational Psychology and Human Resources Unit at FPCEUP. Member of the Organizing Committee of the Iberian-American Congress on Qualitative Research (www.ciaiq.org), the World Conference on Qualitative Research and Qual4Business. Has published several papers and book chapters on Leadership, Human resource systems, Organizational development, and Qualitative research, and currently serves as an Editor at New Trends in Qualitative Research (NTQR).