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How Does MAXQDA Support Focus Group Data Analysis?

Conducting focus groups and group interviews occupies an important role in social and market research. Focus groups offer a high potential for diverse analyses, therefore there are many new features available in MAXQDA that allow for the simple and effective analysis of focus group data. For simplicity we use only the term “focus groups” in MAXQDA and in this manual, although the functions are all suitable for the analysis of group interviews as well.

  • Transcripts of focus groups can be imported so that the contributions of the participants are automatically coded while importing.
  • Individual participants can be activated directly in the "Document System", so you can easily compile the statements of individuals on selected topics. Background information on the participants, such as age and professional experience, can be stored as variables for focus group participants and used for the specific and comparative analysis of groups.
  • The "Overview of Focus Group Speakers" can be used to answer questions such as the following: Who has spoken at what frequency? How extensive are the contributions of each speaker, in words or characters?
  • Use the Code Matrix Browser and the Crosstab for focus groups to create visualizations such as "Themes x Speakers", with which participants or groups of participants can be compared by diverse themes, arguments, positions, and viewpoints in the allocation of codes.

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