MAXQDA 10 is the newest member of the MAX software family and belongs to a handful of pioneer programs which have given qualitative researchers a computer-based tool to analyze their data. Today, MAXQDA is one of the leading programs for Qualitative Data Analysis worldwide and indispensable within the spectrum of professional tools.

A short view on the history from the perspective of the author of MAXQDA, Prof. Dr. Udo Kuckartz in 2007:

“Everything began in the mid-eighties, a time when there were no PCs yet and one was still working with the generation of so-called giant computers. Then, in the spring of 1989, the first version of MAX was released for the Personal Computer. The program was based on database technology (dBase and Clipper) and looked like it was customary for a DOS-program to look like at the time. With “Lichtbalken”-, Escape- und Return-key, as well as the function keys and their virtuous application the program was tolerably manageable, at least more so than some programs for text analysis still are today. Almost annually, new and improved program versions were released.

In 1992, MAX was exhibited for the first time at the Computer Fair Cebit in Hannover at the “Research Market Berlin” booth and in the same year the book “Textanalysesysteme für die Sozialwissenschaften” by Udo Kuckartz was published by the Gustav Fischer Verlag Stuttgart.

The DOS-era was drawing to a close and the mouse was slowly becoming an indispensable tool for working with computers. MAX was keeping up with the times – in contrast to the developers of the database software, on which MAX was based. Ashton Tate and Nantucket missed the signs of the time and because it was not possible to build a Graphical User Interface with their technology, MAX was completely re- programmed as a C++ program.

In the fall of 1994 the first German Windows version of MAX was released under the name of winMAX – MAX for Windows, at the time the idea to keep devoloping the DOS-Version still existed.

A year later, in 1995, the English version of the program was released and, at the end of the year, an extended version, which also arranged for Teamwork-Functions and entering of Memos. The new program was called winMAXpro 96 – the older, slightly revised version was still available under the name of winMAX Basis.

winMAX 1997 was launched 18 months later with, among others, the innovation that Codings were displayed at the text. The English version appeared almost at the same time and was since distributed by Sage Publications London/Thousand Oaks. Between 1998 and 2000 regular updates were released with improved features that, among others, contained the moving of Codes via drag-and-drop.

MAXqda, similar to winMAX in 1994, presented a leap forwards because it was based on an extended text format: Rich Text Format (RTF). The decision for RTF caused a complete re-programming. Kept was not only the inner logic of the program which had been gradually developed over the course of 15 years but also the structure of the screen into four main windows. Everything else was new, with the integration of the program into the world of MS Office and Internet Explorer as the core focus.

In September of 2004 MAXqda 2 was released – the new version was the result of the program’s consistent refinement, based on the many experiences and wishes of its users as well as the feedback received during MAXQDA workshops.

In February of 2007 finally, MAXQDA 2007 was presented.”