Thematic Analysis of Qualitative Data for The Walk-In Closet Online Store

This activity submission provides instructions and guidelines for conducting a thematic analysis of qualitative data for The Walk-In Closet online store. It includes a coding schedule, a step-by-step guide for conducting the analysis, and recommendations based on the findings.

MODULE 6 UNIT 2
Activity
submission
© 2017 UCT / GetSmarter All Rights Reserved (not authorised for commercial use).

Learning outcomes:
LO4: Use codes and themes in the analysis of qualitative data.
LO5: Analyse qualitative data from a focus group using thematic analysis.
Name:
1. Instructions and guidelines (Read carefully)
Instructions
1. Insert your name and surname in the space provided above, as well as in the file name.
Save the file as: First name Surname UCT BRA M6 U2 Activity Submission – e.g. Lilly
Smith UCT BRA M6 U2 Activity Submission. NB! Please ensure that you use the name
that appears in your student profile on the Online Campus.
2. Write all your answers in this document. There is an instruction that says, “Start writing
here” under each question. Please type your answer there.
3. Submit your assignment in Microsoft Word only. No other file types will be accepted.
4. Do not delete the plagiarism declaration or the assignment instructions and
guidelines. They must remain on your assignment when you submit.
5. You will need to submit this document and your saved version of the focus group
transcription document.
PLEASE NOTE: Plagiarism cases will be penalised according to the Head Tutor and
GetSmarter's discretion.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please ensure that you have checked your course calendar for the due
date for this assignment. This calendar is available on the Online Campus and has also been
sent to you by your Course Coach.
Guidelines
1. There are five pages and four questions in this assignment.
2. Make sure that you have carefully read and fully understood the questions before
answering them. Answer the questions fully but concisely and as directly as possible.
Follow all specific instructions for individual questions (e. g. “list”, “in point form”).
3. Answer all questions in your own words. Do not copy any text from the notes, readings
or other sources. The assignment must be your own work only.
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Plagiarism declaration:
1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend
that it is one’s own.
2. This assignment is my own work.
3. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of
passing it off as his or her own work.
4. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment (or part of it) is wrong, and
declare that my assignments are my own work.
2. Mark allocation
Each question receives a mark allocation. However, you will only receive a final percentage
mark and will not be given individual marks for each question. The mark allocation is there
to show you the weighting and length of each question.
Question 1 9
Question 2 5
Question 3 2
Question 4 4
TOTAL 20
3. Assignment questions
Note:
Ensure that you have downloaded the “Focus group transcription” document in the module
downloads folder and saved a copy with your name in the title (for example, UCT BRA M6 U2
– Focus group – John Smith).
The questions in this activity submission are based on the following case study.
The Walk-In Closet:
The Walk-In Closet is a Johannesburg-based clothing store. The store was established in
2008 by prominent fashion designer Jacques Engels. The main philosophy of the store is to
target a wide market by turning inexpensive fabrics into quality, well-designed, and
affordable outfits. Jacques feels threatened by the emergence of new rival stores in the area,
and decides to start exploring the idea of taking the store online.
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After months of design and testing, The Walk-In Closet launches its online store. However,
the first few weeks are met with some problems. Determined to fix these problems, Jacques
hires Alexander, an outside consultant, to conduct research to improve the customer
experience of the online process.
Alexander conducts a focus group of the company’s new online store, and asks the following
questions to the four participants:
1. What was your experience of the new online store?
2. What do you think of the user interface?
3. Did your order arrive as promised and on time?
4. Is there enough variety on the online store?
5. What issues did you have with the ordering process form, if any?
6. What can be improved or changed on the site?
After conducting the interview, Alexander transcribes the responses from the video. Using a
thematic analysis of the text, Alexander hopes to make recommendations on how the
customer experience of the site could be changed.
Question 1
Develop a coding schedule with your key codes. What type of responses (taken from the
transcript) would be classified under each code? Use the following template to develop the
schedule. (Feel free to add in more rows if required.)
Code
(Include the name of your
code here.)
Explanation of the code
(What does your code
mean? What types of
responses would be
grouped under this code?)
Responses
(Include the direct quotes
from the data here that
relate to the code.)
Good Represents a good
experience for the customer
on the online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the
description of the
experience on the new
online store.
“Shopping on Walk-In
Closet’s online store was
great.”
Ok Represents an average “The experience was like
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experience for the customer
on the online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the
description of the
experience on the new
online store.
being on any other online
store.”
Bad Represents a poor
experience for the customer
on the online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the
description of the
experience on the new
online store.
“There was a lot I could not
find on the site.”
Friendly Represents an easy to
navigate user interface.
This code is applicable for
responses on the thoughts
on the user interface of the
new online store.
“All the pages were loading
quickly, I loved that.”
Flashy Represents a user interface
that is too conspicuous with
bright colors and generally
attractive.
This code is applicable for
responses on the thoughts
on the user interface of the
new online store.
“The site is quite eye-
catching, the colors are
attractive.”
Complex Represents a user interface
is overly elaborated and
complicated thus presenting
the users with a challenge in
navigating the site for the
online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the thoughts
on the user interface of the
new online store.
“There are just too many
components on the site.
Less would be great.”
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Poor Represents a user interface
that is extremely hard to
navigate.
This code is applicable for
responses on the thoughts
on the user interface of the
new online store.
“The site’s pages are too
linked, went through many
pages before reaching the
ordering form page.”
On Time Represents a timely delivery
of the products that were
ordered on the online store.
This code is applicable for
the responses to the order
arrival.
“My order arrived just in
time for the party”
Late Represents a late delivery of
the products that were
ordered on the online store.
This code is applicable for
the responses to the order
arrival.
“It would have been great if
the order arrived much
earlier.”
No Represents the lack of
variety in the products
offered for sale on the
online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the availability
of variety on the online
store.
“The online store has less
products compared to the
physical store.”
Enough Represents the presence of
variety in the products
offered for sale on the
online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the availability
of variety on the online
store.
“I did not see any difference
with a physical store, in
terms of products”
Long Represents a lengthy
ordering process form for
ordering products on the
“The ordering form had too
many places to fill.”
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online store.
This code is applicable for
responses on the issues that
arise from the ordering
process form.
Personal Represents the ordering
process form for ordering
products on the online store
being very inquisitive and
requiring too many personal
details.
This code is applicable for
responses on the issues that
arise from the ordering
process form.
“The personal information
asked was too much for
me.”
Fine Represents the ordering
process form for ordering
products on the online store
being sufficient for the
customer.
This code is applicable for
responses on the issues that
arise from the ordering
process form.
“The form was ok.”
Interface Represents improvements
required on the user
interface.
This code is applicable for
the response on the
improvements and changes
needed for the online store.
“More needs to be done on
the user interface.”
Variety Represents inclusion of
more variety.
This code is applicable for
the response on the
improvements and changes
needed for the online store.
“Increasing the number of
products will give the
shoppers more options to
choose from.
Ordering Process Form Represents shortening and
generalization of the
“The ordering form ought to
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ordering process form.
This code is applicable for
the response on the
improvements and changes
needed for the online store.
be shorter.”
Question 2
Briefly describe the process that you followed in conducting the thematic analysis. Write a
step-by-step guide of what you did to analyse the data. (Your answers should be in bullet
point form, with each bullet describing a step.)
Start writing here:
 I familiarised myself with the data by reading and re-reading the responses given by
the participants.
 I proceeded on to code the data through observing the responses for features
relevant to the research.
 I then reviewed the codes and organised them into themes.
 After obtaining the themes I reviewed them as well to observe if broader themes
that overlap can be obtained, as well as filtering them in accordance with relevance
to the research.
 I defined and named the new and remaining themes resulting from the reviewing
process.
 To conclude on the research, I prepared a report to present the findings from the
research.
Question 3
If you were to display the data, what approach would you choose? Consider common
displays such as hierarchies, network diagrams, process displays, and matrices. Justify your
answer (1-2 sentences).
Start writing here:
I would use the matrices to display the data since the matrices give space for representing
the variables, the extent to which every variable is influential and the customer’s reasoning
for the responses. The matrices in general give space for more information to be displayed
for better communication.
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Question 4
What recommendations would you make to the company, based on your findings? (Max.
100 words)
Start writing here:
I would advise the company to try and make both the user-interface and the ordering
process form simpler and direct. This will help in accommodating all their clients’
preferences. Also of importance would be to hasten the process of availing all the store’s
products to the online store customers. Giving the online clients options to choose from
always increases the chances of purchase.
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