QRCA Views

18 QRCA VIEWS SPRING 2 0 15 www.qrca.org The Horrors of Online Qualitative Research C O N T I N U E D Mind you, you can always sort these people out by kicking them back into the virtual waiting room with a click. Of course, moderators are not themselves without sin. The Seven Deadly Sins of Online Moderation There are a multitude of sins; listing "Seven" has a nice ring to it. 1. Typing with one finger in a live group. 2. Not having a backup moderator just in case the dog chews the cable at your place. (Good excuse, though: "The Dog Ate My Focus Group.") 3. Moderating the wrong group and wondering why the respondents – or the client – haven't turned up yet. 4. Forgetting about time zones and turning up an hour late to speak with the one suspicious respondent who is still hanging around to get their incentive. 5. Turning on your webcam, but then moderating in the dark. 6. Moderating audio/visual (A/V) groups without a headset/micro- phone (unless you're after a "we're in a cave" effect). 7. Moderating while eating breakfast in your pajamas or your birthday suit – while the camera is on. For better or worse, the online approach seems to alter behavior in obvi- ous ways, which opens up a few opportu- nities. It's the moderator's responsibility to maintain order and avoid chaos; I have found that three virtues help you thrive while doing online qualitative research. The Three Muses of Online Qualitative INHIBITION: I find that inhibition decreases when people are "behind the online veil," espe- cially with chat groups or boards and might be even lower if they've logged in after downing a couple of glasses of pinot noir. HONESTY: Picture a bunch of insecure teens in a focus group talking about "icky" things. It's much easier to get them to be honest about difficult questions if they feel that their peers in the group don't have a way to judge them in person. The truth will out and it might be scary. THOUGHT: Online gives people more time to think without having voices in their ears while they are formulating their own responses. Or the moderator can control the pace of the group so that it's all top-of-mind. This is not much different from face-to-face methods, except that respondents could be engaged in other activities that distract from participating in their online focus group (e.g., watching TV, eating dinner, trimming their nails). Helpful hint: using webcams can give you an idea if respon- dents' attention is wandering. Overcoming the fear But seriously, what can the modern quallie do to avoid online purgatory the first time moderating an online focus group or board? For one, keep an eye out for what tools are available and practice. There are a lot of platforms, each one evolving and with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Most vendors offer some kind of demo/practice account and train- ing materials if you ask or sign up with them – make use of these, as there a lot of great ideas and approaches to running live groups and boards that you will discover by exploring a few different platforms. Experienced qualitative researchers will discover there are a lot of transferable skills we can apply – and may even prompt new and effective approaches to our quali- tative fieldwork – when using these plat- forms. And don't be afraid to reach out to your colleagues to ask what tools they use and what approaches they take. Online focus groups are a methodology in their own right, not a replacement for face-to-face or facilities-based qualitative research, which will always be appropri- ate in relevant circumstances. In the modern world it is becoming more natu- ral for people to speak through their key- boards and share media from the front line of their lives. With the proliferation of smartphones, which are – or can be – powerful tools for qualitative research, the possibilities are endless. There are exciting opportunities for deep ethno- graphic exploration. For the first time in human history, and without interfering, researchers can now go where no one has gone before, get even closer to the front line of people's lives than would be possi- ble using purely traditional methods. If we approach online qualitative meth- odologies with the right frame of mind and try to ignore any irrational fears and preconceptions, it's likely that most of us will find that when we stray into online territory it's not quite as full of horrors as we might have thought; in fact, it can be an incredible experience. At worst, the horrors are no different than what we're used to already in our line of work, and you'll find that you can usually dispatch them easily with just a few strokes of your keyboard. "For better or worse, the online approach seems to alter behavior in obvious ways, which opens up a few opportunities."

• Cover