Project Startup

The greatest strength of the QSR software is flexibility - in the same way that a word processor doesn't tell you what to write, the software doesn't tell you how to do your research.  However, this flexibility can be daunting particularly for the first project. Project startup helps you to set up the project including sorting out the format of documents, structuring the coding and automating routine work.  If you don't know the software we can help you chose the right package and teach you how to use it at the same time.

What is a Project Startup?

Depending upon the complexity of the project, number of people involved and their prior knowledge of the software, qualitative research and basic use of PCs, project startup takes 1-4 days.

Areas which are typically covered, depending on the detailed requirements of the project, are:
        Overview of the software - what it can & can't do (Mac, Windows or both)
        Creating the software project and for team projects using QSR Merge
        Preparing and importing documents
        Developing an index tree
        Case and attributes
        Conceptual coding and refining the index tree
        Searching and querying
        Reporting
Visualisation including modelling and charting
        Housekeeping
Working as a team

A project startup is useful at the start of team research projects when we can show you how to use NVivo to help co-ordinate and organise the work.  It can also be useful for projects when you have collected the data and have to produce results in a short time-scale.  PhD students have used our startup service to get their analysis off to a flying start.
   
Before project startup we ask you to send us details of your project so that we are fully briefed and can advise on data preparation.  During the visit we will work together on your computer setting up the project.  We give you a keypoints document summarising how to do each of the main tasks but you are also welcome to telephone or email us for further advice about the project.

If there are several people wanting to learn about qualitative software in your organisation it may be appropriate to combine project start up with an overview  workshop .