Phenomenological Design: An Overview Phenomenology is one of a multitude of different qualitative designs that a researcher can select. Other potential options include case studies, ethnographies, and grounded research. Phenomenology is one of the oldest and most flexible of all qualitative approaches. Phenomenology is a way of knowing that is focused not upon a predefined research question or even a highly specific community or individual like an ethnography or case study. It is a unique form of epistemology or way of knowing. “A paradigm is the patterning of the thinking of a person; it is a principal example among examples, an exemplar or model to follow according to which design actions are taken” (Groenewald, 2004, p.44).

Phenomenology: Philosophy

Phenomenology has a strong grounding in the philosophical orientation of the Enlightenment. It is predicated upon a belief that observing experience can yield valuable insights. Unlike quantitative research designs, however, which begin with a research hypothesis in the format of the scientific method or a data-derived research question that can be answered in a narrow fashion, phenomenology is more general in its approach and focuses upon simply understanding and observing a particular phenomenon in a variety of ways. According to Groenewald (2004), “the operative word in phenomenological research is ‘describe.’ The aim of the researcher is to describe as accurately as possible the phenomenon, refraining from any pre-given framework, but remaining true to the facts” (p.44). Although phenomenology may be relatively unstructured, it requires ruthless self-examination on the part of the researcher, given that he or she must put aside these preconceived notions to be an effective observer. That is why phenomenology is so useful to describe phenomenon about which little is known.

Qualitative Methodology

The cornerstone of phenomenology is that of a rich description, or a description which notes...

While the focus in some other forms of qualitative research may be upon the researcher’s observations or reflections, in phenomenology it is squarely upon the subjects’ understanding of their own perceptions. According to Nieswiadomy & Bailey (2017), “Phenomenological studies examine human experiences through the descriptions provided by the people involved. These experiences are called lived experiences. The goal of phenomenological studies is to describe the meaning that experiences hold for each subject” (p.172). The focus is not on objectivity but on honoring the value of the subjects’ perceptions of what is true, and the idea that there is value in seeing the world through the personal experiences of others.
Phenomenological methods are often used in healthcare, to understand how patients experience illness and the journey through the healthcare system. This is increasingly seen as an important counterweight to the assumption that the only way to judge treatment is based upon statistical evidence of cures, survival rates, or cost effectiveness. For example, “Phenomenological research would ask a question such as, ‘What is it like for a mother to live with a teenage child who is dying of cancer?’” versus a quantitative research study which would use evidence-based data to determine the most effective treatment (or a different qualitative approach such as an ethnography, which might examine a cultural approach to death and dying) (Nieswiadomy & Bailey, 2017, p.173). However, phenomenological study can be applied to fields outside of healthcare. A good example of phenomenological study in business might be examining different consumers’ perceptions of marketing or personal needs to develop a new marketing campaign or product.

Challenges and Potential Weaknesses

The challenges of phenomenological design also lie in its strengths. First of all, although the subjective perceptions…