Equipping the constructivist researcher: The combined use of semi-structured interviews and decision-making maps

An interview is a technique used by qualitative researchers to elicit facts and knowledge about the phenomenon under investigation using a series of interview questions. Nonetheless, the establishment of conversation and negotiation of meaning during the interview process is still challenging for those who conduct interviews, no matter how skilled or experienced researchers are with the process. It is felt in particular that researchers would benefit from the use of an instrument that, in the course of semi-structured interviews, would foster an environment where the ideas and meanings conveyed by informants could be developed and further discussed in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. Therefore, this paper attempts to develop and introduce decision-making maps as a new instrument to be used during the process of conducting semi-structured interviews. This newly proposed instrument is inspired by the concept and practice of perceptual mapping. The paper discusses the rationale for proposing the development and application of decision-making map in the context of semi-structured interviews, and reflects on the range of implications for the researcher, for participants, and for the practice of qualitative research that claims affiliation with constructivism.