Creative methods in qualitative data collection

The aim of this interactive workshop is to explore creativity within research, to identify opportunities to use creative methods within the research process and to explore the foundations and theoretical underpinning related to these methods in qualitative research.

We discuss what creativity is, why we should be creative in research and how we can introduce creativity and creative methods in our existing paradigms and methods. Subsequently, delegates actively experiment with "pick a card" and "diamond 9" activities, photo elicitation, and the process of creating representations of experiences. Delegates also have opportunities to consider creativity within diary methods and observations as data collection. Creative research methods have been found particularly helpful in yielding rich qualitative data and thus provide a deeper insight into research participants' experiences. All tasks are explored in view of 4 guiding questions allowing delegates to focus on practical, methodological and ethical considerations regarding the approaches presented.

In line with the pedagogical principles of social constructivism the course is delivered as a mixture of interactive group tasks, discussions and lectures to enable active and experiential learning. This workshop can be taken on its own or in conjunction with the workshop "Creative Data Analysis".

n.b. This course runs over two consecutive afternoons:

Part 1 - 10 September 2026 - 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm

Part 2 - 11 September 2026 - 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm