#SWDchallenge: visualize qualitative data
When it comes to data visualization, we generally focus on quantitative data: numbers, trends, and metrics. But qualitative data—text-based insights, open-ended survey responses, and stories—can also be powerful. Qualitative data often captures individual voices; a person actually saying the words, allowing their personality and perspective to come through, unlike aggregated numbers where individuality is typically lost.
As we kick off a new year, it’s a great time to think about how we might extract new value from qualitative data. Advancements in AI are transforming how we analyze qualitative data, giving us the ability to quickly uncover themes and patterns that might otherwise take hours or days to identify. This progress enables us to process and make sense of large amounts of text-based data efficiently, turning qualitative insights into actionable information.
To illustrate, I analyzed 2024 survey data from our 8-week course. This spanned three cohorts summing up to more than 160 participants responding to questions about what they valued and what they would change. We've already paid close attention to the latter, actively using input to refine and continually improve the experience. This time, using that qualitative data analysis tool Insight7.io, I focused on why people love our course (reasons that have remained consistent over time). I paired a super simple quantitative summary with relevant illustrative quotes from participants to yield the following.
This pairing of quantitative and qualitative data not only informs but also connects emotionally with the audience. Plus, it’s a great way to market the next cohort of our 8-week course, which starts in mid-January!
The challenge
Explore and visualize qualitative data. The example I shared pairing summary data with verbatim quotes is only one approach—there are a myriad of others. Be creative and have fun!
Share your creation in the SWD community by January 31st at 5PM ET. If there is any specific feedback or input that you would find helpful, include that detail in your commentary. Take some time also to browse others' submissions and share your input via comments and datapoints over the course of the month.
When it comes to sourcing interesting qualitative data—this could be survey responses, interview notes, social media comments, or any text-based data. Here are some additional ideas:
Look through customer reviews on platforms like Amazon or Yelp, analyzing them for sentiment or specific themes to uncover actionable insights.
Analyze transcripts from webinars, focus groups, or podcasts. Consider using tools like Otter.ai or Descript to generate and organize transcripts, and text analysis techniques to identify recurring themes or sentiments.
Extract insights from email threads or feedback forms.
Explore open-ended responses from industry reports or academic research.
Use comments from YouTube videos, blog posts, or news articles.
Use text from automated systems or chatbots, such as logs that provide insights into customer interactions.
Dive into text-based chat logs or Slack conversations from your team.
Resources
Here are a few resources to help you get started. If you're aware of others, please include them in your commentary.
Words are data, too: explores how to effectively visualize qualitative data insights.
Three tips for storytelling with qualitative data: tips on combining quantitative and qualitative insights.
Rethinking qualitative analysis: insights into leveraging AI for faster and deeper analysis of qualitative data.
Insight7.io: This is the tool I used to analyze qualitative data for my example. It’s great for simplifying and accelerating qualitative analysis. There is a free trial period after which you can use the code SWD40 for 40% off—a super special SWD community member perk!
We’re excited to see how you bring qualitative data to life this month!
