Understanding Framework Analysis: An Introductory Guide — Delve (2024)

During indexing, researchers will divide their transcripts into manageable portions and code those sections with themes and sub-themes developed in the previous step. This allows you to quickly collate your data by code in the final stages of the methodology. Using a qualitative coding tool like Delve can greatly speed up this indexing process

Stage 4. Charting and Summarizing

Now that the researcher has identified and indexed the themes, researchers can begin charting and summarizing their findings. During this stage, they will rearrange data into a discernible order, which is the last step necessary before they can interpret the data. If researchers complete the first three stages correctly, then charting should be a relatively straightforward process, giving a narrative for the fragments found in previous steps.

A matrix can be helpful for laying out summaries of the findings. It is common in framework analysis to create a matrix where each column is an initial theme/subtheme and each row is a transcript. Using the coding done in the indexing phase, the researcher can read over each theme for every research participant. They can summarize that information and insert it into the corresponding cell in the matrix.

Stage 5. Interpretation/Mapping

Once researchers have reached the mapping and interpretation stage, they are nearing the end of the study. They can use the insight gained from the mapping stage to develop a more thorough understanding of the larger picture or the interpretation of the findings. This is a descriptive step that explores themes, categories, and types, linking overarching narratives back to the data.

Using the charting and summarization matrix, the researcher can start grouping both themes and research participants. Themes can be grouped into higher level categories. While research participants can be grouped into higher level typologies based on their similarities. Then the researcher can analyze how those typologies and categories interrelate, and map linkages between them.

The final phase is to take these categories, typologies, and linkages and develop an explanation behind them. This will be the final theories and narrative derived from the framework analysis process.

Benefits of Framework Analysis

Framework analysis is most frequently used in healthcare settings. However, framework analysis is widely considered one of the most versatile qualitative methodologies in existence. It provides many benefits not present with other research methodologies. The benefits of this methodology include the following:

Focuses on Participants

Due to the detailed outline that framework analysis provides, researchers are better equipped to focus on observations of the participants. The matrix output created in Stage 4: “Charting and Summarizing” allows the researcher to consider how themes occur across interviews (columns), while still being able to consider a particular participant (row). Other qualitative analysis methods can lose sight of the individual case as cross-interview themes are formed.

Dynamic

Framework analysis is also incredibly versatile. It allows researchers to make changes as necessary throughout the entire process, meaning that researchers can better adapt to unforeseen issues during the study.

Systematic Approach

The framework analysis methodology is a systematic approach to data review. It allows researchers to ensure that they handle the data per predetermined procedures. The matrix summarization provides an intuitive and systematic way to reduce large data sets. This approach can be appealing to novice researchers, who may struggle with keeping both the thematic and individual perspective in mind at once. This systematic approach helps researchers to identify themes while also controlling for biases more accurately.

Implementing the Framework Analysis Methodology

If you want to implement this methodology, the easiest way to do so is by using software such as Delve qualitative analysis tool.

With Delve, you can rapidly code data, review results, and produce outputs to visualize the information gathered during your study. You can use Delve’s matrix generation tool to generate the skeleton of your Framework Analysis Matrix. Using Delve’s advanced filtering, you can splice the data by transcript and code to help summarize and fill in this matrix. Delve offers a free trial, which you can start here.