What is MaxQda?
MaxQda is a qualitative and mixed methods research software, from the CAQDAS family (Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software).
At first, CAQDAS were developed as a computerised applications of text coding on “paper” with “manual” tools (markers, scissors and boxes corresponding to different themes). Since theses first developments, they have developed and integrated many complementary tools and now have great potential for a lot of steps in a research project.
In more practical terms, MaxQda is not only a coding tool. It will help you throughout your whole project: to collect your data, organise your project, analyse and visualise your data, or to present and publish your results.
Why MaxQda?
I have been using MaxQda since 2016, and it has become a tool of choice in my research. Its use has made an important contribution to various projects (thematic content analyses, literature reviews and syntheses, bibliometrics, analysis of public policies and public consultation documents, text mining and data mining).
It is far from being the only option on the CAQDAS market (and I have not tested all the existing softwares, of course!) but it convinced me for several reasons…
MaxQda is, in my opinion, very powerful and extremely polyvalent. It is also user-friendly and very intuitive to use once the first basic steps have been understood (it’s one of the comments that comes up most during the training sessions). I also appreciate its flexibility, as well as the ability to export data and results in different formats.
The software supports many types of data (interviews, press, audiovisual, web pages, field notes, literature…) Its flexibility also allows the use of various methods (content analysis, case studies, mixed methods, literature reviews, grounded theory…)
It is used by researchers from many fields and academic disciplines, but also by NGOs, public agencies, as well as many private companies, both small and multinational.
Certified trainer for MaxQda, as part of the ‘Maxqda Certified Trainers’ programme
