Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
1 INTRODUCTION
In our roles as consultants, we often receive calls or email to discuss the devel-
opment of an online research project. On one occasion, an individual, let's call
her Jill, told me (TJG) that she was going to apply for a particular type of grant,
and that she was interested in developing a web-based screening and interven-
tion tool for the core component of the grant application. She expressed an
interest in attending any courses I could recommend and was looking for some
general advice regarding how to proceed with the development of her study.
First, how did she know to contact one of us? Why contact one of us? Jill
contacted me through the usual word-of-mouth method. She had a friend, who
knew a friend, who knew me. The friend of a friend knew that I had experience
with online research, and so suggested that she get in touch with me for advice.
In other words, Jill found me through professional networking. The network-
ing, in itself, should say something to you. Information about developing online
research isn't readily available, so researchers tend to track down colleagues
who have some experience developing online studies, to seek their advice.
Jill contacted me for advice, and I suspect my responses were less than satis-
fying. In fact, they were probably a little discouraging. I noted that any courses
I was aware of would typically cover technical tools such as PHP, which means
they are designed and offered for computer programmers. I indicated that it
might be useful to attend such courses, but that they might be difficult, and
much of the material covered might not be directly applicable to her study. In
addition, I indicated that there might be a course in the area of electronic
research methods, but those courses were few and far between. Furthermore,
while methodologically they will be interesting and useful, they are likely
to lack the practical application of various technological tools to research
methods. These latter courses are also unlikely to include hands-on assistance
in the actual construction of an online study.
For some, my response would be a show-stopper. The lack of assistance avail-
able in developing online research often leads people back to more traditional
forms of research. In the case of this particular inquiry, Jill was persistent,
suggesting that she might seek out a consultant to help her with her project.
Jill's next question to me was whether or not I had any advice for her about
hiring a consultant. She was aware that I had experience managing technology
consulting teams. In fact, both of us have worked with a number of individuals
Search WWH ::




Custom Search