Identifying and promoting qualitative methods for impact assessment

Walker, Heidi, Pope, Jenny, Morrison-Saunders, Angus, Bond, Alan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3809-5805, Diduck, Alan P., Sinclair, A. John, Middel, Brendan and Retief, Francois (2024) Identifying and promoting qualitative methods for impact assessment. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 42 (3). pp. 294-305. ISSN 1461-5517

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Abstract

Qualitative methods for impact assessment (IA) represent a broad spectrum of approaches that are important for realising effective IA practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify and promote qualitative methods that are available for use in contemporary and future (next-generation) IA processes. From an extensive literature review, an international survey (145 responses), expert interviews (48 interviewees), and a workshop attended by 27 IA practitioners, 17 qualitative method categories were identified. These were further subdivided into three classes: conventional qualitative methods, highly participatory methods, and mixed methods. Each method is described, and an indication given of how each can be used in IA practice, including the specific stage of the IA process to which they might be applied. Whilst this paper seeks to stimulate practitioners to apply qualitative methods to enrich IA practices, the research also identifies a lack of expertise with social science methods as a significant barrier to the effective use of qualitative methods in IA practice.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding information: Funding for this research was provided by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	impact assessment,qualitative methods,participatory methods,mixed methods,next generation impact assessment,environmental science(all) ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2024 15:30
Last Modified:	02 Aug 2024 19:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/95605
DOI:	10.1080/14615517.2024.2369454

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