The Qualitative Cluster Analysis™ (QCA) process is a tool that can be used to sort and discover meaning in any set of nominal data from a single study or across studies. It is a useful technique for opening up the data for interpretation.
Process steps
- Affinity sort – the simple process of putting like things together labeling the things that are alike with a title meaningful in terms of the research task
- Nominate a central theme. This can be a single bucket title from the affinity sort or a combined theme from several different buckets.
- Identify secondary and tertiary themes, support with affinity buckets and show and label relationships (above connections were symbolized by string and representative statements were posted to illustrate themes and areas of opportunity).
- Give the QCA a title.
- Move the clusters into Themes or Big Areas of Opportunity Posters
