Research Methods: Surveys as a Mixed-Data Tool
To evaluate the Digital Journeys prototype, I am using short, structured questionnaires for two participant groups: students and staff. Although surveys are sometimes associated with quantitative research, Gray and Malins emphasise that in art and design research, questionnaires can generate both qualitative and quantitative insights, particularly when combined with reflective interpretation. They note that questionnaires can be used “not simply to collect facts, but to reveal attitudes, perceptions and experiences” (Gray and Malins, 2004, p. 143).
The student and staff surveys are designed to capture:
- Quantitative data (Likert-scale questions measuring clarity, usefulness, and confidence).
- Qualitative data (open-ended questions inviting comments on what worked, what was confusing, and what could be improved).
This approach aligns with Doing Your Research Project, which argues that combining question types allows researchers to balance breadth and depth, noting that “open questions can provide insights that the researcher may not have anticipated” (Bell, 2014, p. 157). In my project, this is particularly important because I want students to articulate in their own words how the resource affects their workflow, rather than forcing their experience into predefined categories.
Survey results
The links include the consent form, survey questions, and anonymous survey responses, with Likert-scale and multiple-choice data presented in aggregated visual form and open-ended responses shown in full without identifying information.
Thematic Analysis as an Analytical Strategy
I am using thematic analysis as my primary method of analysis. Braun and Clarke describe thematic analysis as “a method for systematically identifying, organising, and offering insight into patterns of meaning (themes) across a dataset” (Braun and Clarke, 2021, p. 4). This flexibility makes it particularly suitable for practitioner research, where data may be relatively small-scale but rich in meaning.
Rather than treating thematic analysis as a purely technical process, Braun and Clarke emphasise that it is an interpretive act. They argue that themes do not simply “emerge” from data, but are actively constructed by the researcher through engagement with theory, context, and research questions (Braun and Clarke, 2021). This perspective is important for my project, as my analysis is shaped by my professional experience supporting students with creative software. Braun and Clarke argue that transparency strengthens qualitative research, noting that “good thematic analysis makes the researcher’s analytic process visible” (Braun and Clarke, 2021, p. 35). In practice, this means clearly linking themes to data extracts and explaining how design decisions are informed by participant feedback.
I am following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach:
- Familiarisation: Reading survey responses multiple times to gain an overview of student and staff perceptions.
- Coding: Identifying meaningful features of the data, such as references to confusion, confidence, efficiency, or visual clarity.
- Generating themes: Grouping codes into broader themes, for example software confusion, value of visual guidance, or independent learning support.
- Reviewing themes: Checking themes against the dataset to ensure they are coherent and representative.
- Defining and naming themes: Refining each theme to clearly articulate what it captures about the data.
- Writing up: Integrating themes with theory and reflecting on their implications for practice.
Coding and theming examples of data can be viewed here
As they note, it enables researchers to “move beyond describing data to interpreting and making sense of it” (Braun and Clarke, 2021, p. 22). In my project, this means linking student comments about confusion or confidence directly to design decisions within Digital Journeys.
Visual Analysis and Designerly Ways of Thinking
Situated within art and design education, this project extends analysis beyond written text to include visual approaches such as “mapping, diagramming and visual structuring of ideas,” acknowledging that designers often think through visual means (Gray and Malins, 2004, p. 172). Translating survey themes into diagrams and visual maps allows the researcher to “see relationships, gaps and patterns that might remain hidden in linear text,” ensuring methodological alignment between a visually focused learning resource and its analysis (Gray and Malins, 2004, p. 176).
Bibliography
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2021) Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. London: SAGE.
Gray, C. and Malins, J. (2004) Visualizing Research: A Guide to the Research Process in Art and Design. Farnham: Ashgate.
McNiff, J. and Whitehead, J. (2011) You and Your Action Research Project. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.
Bell, J., Bryman, A. and Harley, B. (2018) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-Time Researchers. 7th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.