ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines three qualitative methods for collecting individuals’ views, opinions, attitudes or experiences: interviews, focus groups and the Delphi technique. The basics of each method will be described together with a brief history and a discussion of their strengths and weakness. Interviews generally speaking involve an exchange between the researcher and one or possible several interviewees. A focus group of between six and 10 participants is a facilitated group discussion centred around a particular topic. The Delphi technique is a structured group communication often involving up to a dozen informants having specialist knowledge to work towards a consensus view about a topic. Often used to address ‘real-world’ problems, the commonality of these methods lies in the desire to elicit the personal accounts from research participants who are deemed to be the “experts” in providing reflections on their experiences. Success in applying these methods relies on thorough preparation prior to administration and consideration being given to the kinds of data being generated and the types of analysis used to interpret the richness of the material garnered.
