ABSTRACT
In her invaluable text regarding Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo, Patricia Bazeley succinctly observes that when it comes to their management, ‘qualitative data are voluminous and messy’ (Bazeley 2007, 131). This remark is likely to be regarded with indifference and/or ambivalence amongst those with little experience of conducting qualitative research. Similarly, those with experience are likely to view this remark with a wry smile of recognition or possibly provide a mischievous rejoinder that includes the word ‘understatement’! For example, to illustrate the ‘voluminous mess’ upon which this text is based, the following data were generated during 56 months (October 2006-June 2011) of research regarding street-based injecting drug use:
• 169 informal, annotated (‘gist’), semi-structured interviews with frontline service personnel.
