Qualitative Methods

Exploratory

An exploratory study is undertaken when hardly anything is known about the situation at the outset of the project. In such cases, the work needs to begin with a vague impression of what needs to be studied, and extensive preliminary work needs to be done to develop a model and set up a rigorous design for comprehensive investigation. The results of an exploratory study provide a platform upon which a formalised research project can be built.

Used in the early stages of the decision-making process, exploratory research is used to assess the situation in hand with the minimum cost and time possible. Versatility and a wide-ranged approach to the preliminary investigation are the main benefits of this genre of research.

Extensive interviews with many people might have to be undertaken to get a handle on the situation and understand the phenomena.

Types of methodologies in exploratory
• Focus group discussions
• In-depth interviews
• Non-participative observations