Confessions from a grounded theory PhD: experiences and lessons learnt

Grounded Theory (GT) is used within HCI research, but nuances and more modern interpretations of the method are rarely discussed. This paper has two intentions: to offer guidance on practical issues when applying GT, and to clarify the space of methodological possibilities. We describe an extended GT study on understanding why practitioners choose particular usability evaluation methods. We describe five stages in this study to highlight our experiences and choices made. We draw out seven practical and methodological considerations in applying GT in a CHI context. This challenges the more traditional inductive and objective positions on GT use; it sensitizes novices of GT to these issues; and through the extended case study it provides substance for debate on issues that affect those that use qualitative methods more broadly.

[1]  Nicholas Frank Pidgeon,et al.  Grounded theory in psychological research. , 2003 .

[2]  Effie Lai-Chong Law,et al.  Maturing Usability - Quality in Software, Interaction and Value , 2008, Human-Computer Interaction Series.

[3]  Chauncey E. Wilson,et al.  The Usability Engineering Framework for Product Design and Evaluation , 1997 .

[4]  Nigel Ford,et al.  Serendipity and information seeking: an empirical study , 2003, J. Documentation.

[5]  Irwin Brown,et al.  Investigating the use of "Grounded Theory" in information systems research , 2008, SAICSIT '08.

[6]  Alan H. Bond,et al.  Distributed Artificial Intelligence , 1988 .

[7]  Effie Lai-Chong Law.  Evaluating the Downstream Utility of User Tests and Examining the Developer Effect: A Case Study , 2006, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Interact..

[8]  Dominic Furniss.  Beyond problem identification : valuing methods in a 'system usability practice' , 2008 .

[9]  E. Trauth.  Qualitative Research in IS: Issues and Trends , 2001 .

[10]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  Heuristic Evaluation of Prototypes (individual) , 2022 .

[11]  Yvonne Rogers,et al.  Reflecting human values in the digital age , 2009, CACM.

[12]  G. Thomas,et al.  Reinventing grounded theory: some questions about theory, ground and discovery , 2006 .

[13]  A. Michael Huberman,et al.  An expanded sourcebook qualitative data analysis , 1994 .

[14]  Paul A. Cairns,et al.  A grounded investigation of game immersion , 2004, CHI EA '04.

[15]  Ann Blandford,et al.  DiCoT: A Methodology for Applying Distributed Cognition to the Design of Teamworking Systems , 2005, DSV-IS.

[16]  Lucy Yardley,et al.  Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design. , 2003 .

[17]  Gilbert Cockton,et al.  Value-centred HCI , 2004, NordiCHI '04.

[18]  Susan Leigh Star,et al.  The Structure of Ill-Structured Solutions: Boundary Objects and Heterogeneous Distributed Problem Solving , 1989, Distributed Artificial Intelligence.

[19]  A. Adams,et al.  A qualititative approach to HCI research , 2008 .

[20]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  Usability inspection methods , 1994, CHI 95 Conference Companion.

[21]  interactions Staff,et al.  CHI 2005 , 2005 .

[22]  A. Strauss,et al.  The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research aldine de gruyter , 1968 .

[23]  Yang Gao,et al.  Distributed Artificial Intelligence: Second International Conference, DAI 2020, Nanjing, China, October 24–27, 2020, Proceedings , 2020, DAI.

[24]  H. Heath,et al.  Developing a grounded theory approach: a comparison of Glaser and Strauss. , 2004, International journal of nursing studies.

[25]  J. Gosby.  MEDIA REVIEWS: Basics of Qualitative Research - Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory 2nd Edition by A. Strauss and J. Corbin. Sage Publications, , 2000 .

[26]  T. Landauer,et al.  Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction , 1997 .

[27]  Edward N Wevodau.  Qualitative Research in Psychology: Expanding Perspectives in Methodology and Design , 2003 .

[28]  Marisa E. Campbell.  CHI 2004 , 2004, INTR.

[29]  M. Angela Sasse,et al.  The true cost of unusable password policies: password use in the wild , 2010, CHI.

[30]  Peter C. Wright,et al.  Empathy and experience in HCI , 2008, CHI.

[31]  Ann Blandford,et al.  Usability Work in Professional Website Design: Insights from Practitioners' Perspectives , 2008, Maturing Usability.

[32]  Marisa E. Campbell.  NordiCHI 2004 , 2004, INTR.

[33]  Gudela Grote,et al.  RULES MANAGEMENT AS SOURCE FOR LOOSE COUPLING IN HIGH-RISK SYSTEMS , 2016 .

[34]  Anna L. Cox,et al.  Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction , 2008 .

[35]  A. Strauss.  Basics Of Qualitative Research , 1992 .

[36]  Erik Hollnagel,et al.  Barriers And Accident Prevention , 2004 .

[37]  Ann Blandford,et al.  Resilience in Usability Consultancy Practice: The Case for a Positive Resonance Model , 2007 .

[38]  Mark S. Ackerman,et al.  Reexamining organizational memory , 2000, Commun. ACM.

[39]  James D. Hollan,et al.  Distributed cognition: toward a new foundation for human-computer interaction research , 2000, TCHI.

[40]  A. Adam.  Whatever happened to information systems ethics? Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea , 2004 .

[41]  Anne Adams,et al.  Building security and trust in online banking , 2005, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[42]  Paul Cairns,et al.  A grounded investigation of immersion in games , 2004, CHI 2004.

[43]  J. Oktay.  Grounded Theory , 2012 .

[44]  Svend Brinkmann,et al.  Review of Camic, P.M., Rhodes, J.E. & Yardley, L. (eds.) Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design , 2003 .

[45]  C. Urquhart.  An encounter with grounded theory: tackling the practical and philosophical issues , 2001 .