QUATITATIVE

Research Examples
When using quantitative research, a project manager can go about this process a
few different ways.

Hybrid Sampling – For the uncomfortable Pillow Pet design, a new design
offered a bigger pillow-head area, the pillow snake was given a happier
smile and the Panda Pillow Pet was offered in recognizable black and white
colors. The focus group needed to answer specific questions about what
they liked about the new Pillow Pets including questions such as, do you
think the snake pillow is comfortable and why? Does the snake look happy or scary? What if we made the
Panda red and yellow? Here, through learned responses, the new design, if developed using the
quantitative method will help to increase sales. The answers provide quantitative numbers to increase
sales based on pooling a group.

Parent Surveys – Telephone or online surveys are developed to be answered by parents of the original
focus group of children. Through these surveys, parents are asked what specifically they think their child
would rather see in the snake or the panda. Again, survey data analysis reveals if indeed a redesign
would work or fail. For example, if too many parents simply stated, “Children are afraid of snakes no
matter what," perhaps the snake should be dropped from the Pillow Pet product line. The production cost
of the scary snake is dropped and the designers can focus on what children like best based on parental
input. These surveys, once analyzed, reveal quantitative facts based on numerical data and show what
parents will buy their children based on known likes and what they will avoid.

Suggestive Analysis – This type of analysis helps to determine not just what’s available, but what a
focus group
would like to see available. If surveys or questionnaires revealed an elephant was missing from the Pillow
Pet line via suggestions by a panel, this product could be introduced. These surveys are easily designed
to simply explain what the Pillow Pet is and does, likes and dislikes and the ever important—what would
you like to see different question. Again via analysis, the appropriate product line could be produced. In
this quantitative method, the number of people asking for an Pillow Pet elephant would be overwhelming,
making it a perfect new product line choice.

https://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/118659-project-analysis-find-answers-using-the-
quantitative-method/
QUANLITATIVE

Physical activity in pregnancy: a qualitative study of the beliefs of

overweight and obese pregnant women

Background

Whilst there has been increasing research interest in interventions which promote physical activity during
pregnancy few studies have yielded detailed insights into the views and experiences of overweight and
obese pregnant women themselves. The qualitative study described in this paper aimed to: (i) explore the
views and experiences of overweight and obese pregnant women; and (ii) inform interventions which
could promote the adoption of physical activity during pregnancy.

Methods

The study was framed by a combined Subtle Realism and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) approach.
This enabled us to examine the hypothetical pathway between beliefs and physical activity intentions
within the context of day to day life. The study sample for the qualitative study was chosen by stratified,
purposive sampling from a previous study of physical activity measurements in pregnancy. Research
participants for the current study were recruited on the basis of Body Mass Index (BMI) at booking and
parity. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 overweight and obese pregnant
women. Data analysis was undertaken using a Framework Approach and was informed by TPB.

Results

Healthy eating was often viewed as being of greater importance for the health of mother and baby than
participation in physical activity. A commonly cited motivator for maintaining physical activity during
pregnancy is an aid to reducing pregnancy-related weight gain. However, participants often described
how they would wait until the postnatal period to try and lose weight. A wide range of barriers to physical
activity during pregnancy were highlighted including both internal (physical and psychological) and
external (work, family, time and environmental). The study participants also lacked access to consistent
information, advice and support on the benefits of physical activity during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Interventions to encourage recommended levels of physical activity in pregnancy should be accompanied

by accessible and consistent information about the positive effects for mother and baby. More research is
required to examine how to overcome barriers to physical activity and to understand which interventions
could be most effective for overweight/obese pregnant women. Midwives should be encouraged to do
more to promote activity in pregnancy.

Keywords

Physical Activity
Healthy Eating
Normative Belief
Control Belief
Topic Guide

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1471-2393-10-18