RSBM Business School Research in the real world: the users dilemma Dr Gill Green

RSBM Business School Overview of the Lecture n Context for the examination of research approaches n Examine aspects of the Qualitative Research: Defining, Attributes, Features &Types n Examine aspects of the Quantitative Research: Defining, Attributes, Features &Types n Reflect and summarise on each approach

RSBM Business School The users dilemma n How do users get what they want? –Traditional view of software development –Analysis – specification-development-implement-signoff –Happy users –So why do researchers report that 70% of system implementations fail n How do users know what they want? –The Marco Polo effect »How do you describe something you have never seen before –The gambler effect »How do you speculate how you may like to do things in the future –The tigger effect »How easy is it to ask for the wrong thing

RSBM Business School Some hard words n Ontology – What is n epistemology – what it means to know n Why is this important? n You need to know for yourself how you interpret your world?

RSBM Business School Theoretical perspectives and what they teach us n Positivist –Reality consists of what is available to the senses –Inquiry should be based upon scientific observation and empirical action –Principles are shared between Natural and human sciences and deal with facts not values n Interpretivist –Reality is a shifting state culturally derived and historically situated –Inquiry deals with the actions of individuals in social settings –Principles suggest the emergence of unique individual qualitative aspects

RSBM Business School What is Qualitative Research “Qualitative research is a process of enquiry that draws data from the context in which events occur, in an attempt to describe these occurrences, as a means of determining the process in which events are embedded and the perspectives of those participating in the events, using induction to derive possible explanations based on observed phenomena.” (Gorman & Clayton, 1997)

RSBM Business School What happens in Qualitative Research? n Data taken from context in which events occur n Data collection first hand n Attempt to describe occurrences n Focus on process not snapshot n Immersion leading to insight n Induction

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research: Induction n Use of “bottom-up” approach to analyse and interpret data n Research based on observed data n “Grounded” theory –that is based on established theories

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research: Attributes 1 n Assumptions –social construction of reality –primacy of subject matter –complexity of variables –difficulty in measuring variables n Purpose –contextualisation –interpretation –understanding participant perspectives

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research: Attributes 2 n Approach –Theory generalising –Emergence and portrayal –Researcher as instrument –Naturalistic –Inductive –Pattern Seeking –Looking for pluralism and complexity –Descriptive n Researcher Role –personal involvement and partiality –empathetic understanding

RSBM Business School Key features of Qualitative Research (Hittleman & Simon) n Data is collected within its natural setting. Main data collection instruments are the researchers themselves n Data are not numerical n Focus on the process of an activity, not just its outcomes n Data analysed in non-numerical manner. Outcomes generate debate rather than verifying a predicted outcome

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research: Why is it important in IT n Many of techniques and methods can be applied to the requirements engineering process n Helps to place user at centre of design process n Enables triangulation with quantitative methods

RSBM Business School Doing Qualitative Research n Many ways of collecting and analysing data –Historical –Correlational –Developmental –Descriptive –...

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research: Overview of Techniques n Observation n Interviewing n Questionnaires n Group Discussion n Historical Study n Content Analysis n Ethnographical Research

RSBM Business School Qualitative Research Summary n Increased knowledge of qualitative research n Awareness of qualitative approaches relevance to computing

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research: What is it? n The aim of quantitative research is not simply to state that something has a relationship with something else, but to state causality

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research n Focuses on numerical and statistical data n Positivist approach –Recognising only positive/measurable facts and observable phenomena n Empirical “scientific” approach –Relying on experimentation and not untested theory n Searches for causality and effect

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research :Deduction n Top-down approach n The inferring of particular instances from a general law n Working something out from something else - Sherlock Holmes style

RSBM Business School Attributes of Quantitative Research 1 n Assumptions –objective reality of social facts –primacy of method –possible to identify variables –possible to measure variables n Purpose –generalisation –prediction –causal explanation

RSBM Business School Attributes of Quantitative Enquiry 2 n Approach –Hypothesis based –Manipulation and Control –Uses formal instruments –Experimentation –Deductive –Component analysis –Seeking norms and consensus –Reducing data to numerical indices n Researcher Role –detachment and impartiality –objective portrayal

RSBM Business School Features of Quantitative Research 1 n Tests for cause and effect –X causes Z to happen –Y does not cause Z to happen n Not simply that something has a relationship with something else n Involves empirical studies n Uses numerical and statistical techniques

RSBM Business School Features of Quantitative Research 2 n Assume primacy –Researcher defines the research activity n Relationships are measured n Causal explanations are made

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research : Descriptive Statistics n Allows summaries of large quantities of information n Should be easily comprehensible for reader n Presentation is vital –long strings of numbers… –tables, charts, graphs –numerical techniques –concise, appropriate text

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research : Inferential Statistics n Procedures for making generalisations about characteristics of a population based on information taken from that population n Powerful –estimation –hypothesis testing n Methods and rules for organising and interpreting data

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research: Why is it important in IT n Establishes metrics –Report on process and system efficiency concerns –Predict outcomes from developments –Improve development and operational processes n Basis for managing risk –Analysis of incidents –Identify causal relationships –Plan

RSBM Business School Quantitative Research Summary n Quantitative research is based on scientific inquiry n Offers numerous techniques for data analysis n Searching for causality and prediction

RSBM Business School Some questions to answer for next week n Can you identify your epistemological stance? n Have you identified a theoretical perspective n Is your approach deductive or inductive n Have you considered research methodology