f4analyse – Teamwork: together, distributed or in exchange
f4analyse supports evaluation work in a team. There are many different ways to do this, so here are three suggestions:
Simultaneous work on the same text
Distributed work on different texts
Passing on the code system / codebook
Working on the same text
Gaining perspectives, discussing points of view
Working on the same text separately with different people can be very revealing. Different points of view and interpretations can initially be developed separately and only then discussed in order to gain a new – shared – view of the data material. Here is our process proposal:
Prepare
Each team member creates a project and imports the identical text(s). No one is allowed to change the content of the texts at this point, i.e. no spelling mistakes or forgotten anonymizations, paragraphs or similar, as otherwise the exact comparison will fail.
Each team member creates a main code with their own name. All codes used become subcodes of this (even if they have already been defined in advance). It makes sense for each team member to use a separate color for all their own codes.
Now everyone reads the text for themselves, writes their own memos and comments, develops codes, codes text passages and finally saves the project with their own name, e.g. ProjectXY-Paul.f4
Merge
To compare the individual views of the same text, open one of the projects and then select the “Merge projects” option (via the “Open” button). All memos, comments, codes and codings of the other selected project are now imported.
The main code name and color can be used to distinguish the codes and code systems of different people at a glance. Comments and memos are marked as to who wrote them.
Discuss
The similarities and differences are now discussed and transferred into a common interpretation and classification. You can delete or merge codes, rearrange the code system, create new categories and further develop your memos.
Working on various texts
Split analyses and merge results
If the code system is already well known to all employees, the work can be divided up so that progress can be made more quickly. It makes sense for each team member to work on different texts and for all sub-projects to be merged back into an overall project afterwards.
Prepare
Create an initial project that contains, for example, only the code system including code memos with definitions and initial findings. This project is distributed. Each team member imports all relevant documents into this project and edits them. Again, it is best to save the project with its own name, e.g. ProjectXY-Paul.f4
Merge
To turn the individual projects back into an overall project, open one of the individual projects and add the other projects using the “Merge projects” option.
New texts, codes, comments and memos are added automatically. Any newly created codes are added to the existing system. Comments and memos are each provided with an indication of the project from which they originate. No codememos or other information is lost.
Only pass on the code system
Distribute preparatory work skillfully
You have created a comprehensive code system and would like to make it available to another person as a “codebook”? It is always helpful if the code system has been well documented beforehand with comments, definitions and notes.
Copy the project, then open the copy and delete all texts there. What remains is the code system with codememos. The “empty” project file with code system and memos can now be sent to another person, who can then import their individual texts and start editing.
Or another person wants to add the code system to their existing project. To do this, simply select the “Merge projects” option.
