A map of qualitative approaches and how to choose among them — anchored by HRDR’s 2023 Qualitative Methods Special Issue and the broader qualitative methodology literature.
Choosing an approach
Qualitative is not one method. Match the approach to what you want to know.
| If you want to understand… | Approach | Anchor reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lived experience of a phenomenon | Phenomenology | Kuchinke (2023) |
| How a process/theory emerges from data | Grounded theory | Brandhorst et al. (2023) |
| Patterns across accounts | Thematic analysis | Lester, Cho, & Lochmiller (2020) |
| Talk and meaning-in-interaction | Discursive psychology | Lester, O’Reilly, & Steele (2023) |
| Your own situated practice | Action research / autoethnography | Coghlan & Holian (2023); Grenier & Collins (2016) |
Not sure? Start with Zarestky (2023) — multiple qualitative approaches with a decision tree.
Core reading list (annotated)
Design & trustworthiness
- Lochmiller, Cho, & Lester (2023) — a 5-domain qualitative design framework.
- Zarestky (2023) — choosing among qualitative approaches; includes a decision tree.
- Lochmiller, Cho, & Lester (2026) — establishing trustworthiness in HRD qualitative research.
Specific approaches (2023 Qualitative Methods SI)
- Kuchinke (2023) — phenomenology and HRD.
- Brandhorst et al. (2023) — grounded theory method, post-pandemic.
- Lester, O’Reilly, & Steele (2023) — discursive psychology.
- Discetti & Anderson (2023) — netnography.
- Lochmiller (2023) — empathy interviews.
- Li (2023) — diffractive analysis / post-qualitative inquiry.
- Gisby et al. (2023) — rich pictures (visual methods).
- Coghlan & Holian (2023) — insider action research.
Analysis & data
- Lester, Cho, & Lochmiller (2020) — learning to do qualitative thematic analysis.
- O’Kane, Ott, Smith, & Brown (2023) — CAQDAS for qualitative/systematic work.
- Paulus (2023) — QDA software for digital workflows.
- Moore, Aguinis, & Darden (2026) — saturation: a three-step framework.
How this connects
This toolkit pairs with the Literature Review Methods guide (for qualitative synthesis) and the SLR Search Coach (when your review question is qualitative — use the SPIDER framework).
Source: HRDR “Research Methodology and Theory Building” cluster (2023 Qualitative Methods Special Issue).
📄 Download this guide as a PDF
References
Brandhorst, J., Compton, C., Solon, K., Huyler, D., McGill, C., & Barnhart, L. (2023). What can grounded theory do for human resource development? An approach for post-pandemic research and beyond. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 180–203.
Coghlan, D., & Holian, R. (2023). Insider action research for human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 173–179.
Discetti, R., & Anderson, V. (2023). The value of netnography for research in HRD. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 59–83.
Gisby, A., Ross, C., Francis-Smythe, J., & Andersen, K. (2023). The rich pictures method: Its use and value, and the implications for HRD research and practice. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 204–228.
Grenier, R. S., & Collins, J. C. (2016). “Man, have I got a story for you”: Facilitated autoethnography as a potential research methodology in human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 15(3), 359–376.
Kuchinke, K. P. (2023). Phenomenology and human resource development: Philosophical foundations and implications for research. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 36–58.
Lester, J. N., Cho, Y., & Lochmiller, C. R. (2020). Learning to do qualitative data analysis: A starting point. Human Resource Development Review, 19(1), 94–106.
Lester, J. N., O’Reilly, M., & Steele, C. (2023). Promoting the value of discursive psychology for the field of human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 229–250.
Li, B. (2023). Thinking diffractively with data in human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 15–35.
Lochmiller, C. R. (2023). Using empathy interviews and qualitative evidence to improve human resource development practice and theory. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 84–103.
Lochmiller, C. R., Cho, Y., & Lester, J. N. (2023). A new design framework for innovative qualitative research in HRD. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 275–290.
Lochmiller, C. R., Cho, Y., & Lester, J. N. (2026). Designing trustworthy qualitative HRD research. Human Resource Development Review, 25(2), 212–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843261419651
Moore, O. A., Aguinis, H., & Darden, T. (2026). Defining, assessing, and reporting saturation in qualitative leadership research. The Leadership Quarterly, 37, 101950.
O’Kane, P., Ott, D., Smith, A., & Brown, T. (2023). Understanding computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software as a tool to enhance systematic literature reviews in HRD. Human Resource Development Review, 22(2), 291–307.
Paulus, T. M. (2023). Using qualitative data analysis software to support digital research workflows. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 139–148.
Zarestky, J. (2023). Navigating multiple approaches to qualitative research in HRD. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 126–138.