Facilitating Interviews in Qualitative Research With Visual Tools: A Typology

Visual methods are gaining traction in qualitative research to support data generation, data analysis, and research dissemination. In this article, I propose a preliminary typology that categorizes five identified purposes of applying visual methods in qualitative interviews: to (a) enable communication, (b) represent the data, (c) enhance data quality and validity, (d) facilitate the relationship, and (e) effect change. Examples of visual tools are presented to demonstrate their utility in addressing these five aims. An existing ethical framework for visual tool use in qualitative research is then presented to structure a discussion on ethical considerations related to confidentiality, consent, representations and audiences, fuzzy boundaries between researchers and participants, authorship and ownership, and minimizing harm. Future directions include testing and extending the typology with respect to other visual methods and qualitative research processes, and research to evaluate the effectiveness of various visual tools at achieving the aims represented in the typology.