ACROSS FAMILIES/ Research design
Exploratory design
Map what is not yet well understood
Exploratory design investigates an insufficiently understood phenomenon to develop questions, concepts, tentative explanations or feasible measures. It can use interviews, cases, descriptive data or pilot experiments. Exploration describes a research purpose rather than a single technique and should be distinguished from a confirmatory test whose hypotheses and decisions were specified in advance.
WHEN IT FITS
Use when relevant constructs, mechanisms or practical access are uncertain, and the immediate aim is to learn what deserves more focused description or testing.
Strengths
- Allows unanticipated features to redirect enquiry
- Helps develop tractable questions and constructs
Limitations
- Flexible decisions can create selective interpretations
- Exploratory patterns require further testing before strong generalisation
Know the boundary
Exploration is systematic research, not permission for undocumented fishing through data.
USED ACROSS
Banking & financeBusiness & MBAPsychologyComputer scienceEducation