Reflecting on the future of QDA software: Special issue of the qualitative report

Abstract

This article introduces the special issue of The Qualitative Report, which brings together five papers exploring the scope, depth, history and future of Qualitative Data Analysis software (QDAS), originally presented at a conference in Rotterdam in 2016. The selected papers provide insights into the history of the QDAS community and future developments of the software packages, uses of QDAS for tasks beyond text analysis, the promise of a common exchange format for researchers using different packages, and strategies for putting to rest, once and for all, persistent misconceptions about QDAS that continue to circulate in the literature and during education and training events. We also suggest a “wish list” for future QDAS developments, including the ability to import e-books, full integration with data mining approaches, and engagement in the Open Science movement.