Atlas.ti, which I've only used for one medium sized project and 8
small ones, took too much effort to learn to use (the interface is
clunky), but once I got up the steep learning curve, it worked well
without problems. If I'd used the program often, I'm sure I'd have got
used to it, but there were weeks, sometimes months, between my
projects and I had to allocate an hour or so to relearning the program
each time. Eventually I knocked up a set of index cards and associated
flow sheets for basic program handling and this has subsequently been
greatly expanded by others, as well as codified into protocols for
using Atlas.ti's many analytical techniques. This has speeded up
learning to use the program and has been invaluable for standardizing
methodologies and analyses. The video handling is really good, once
the steep learning curve has been overcome.
I've had too many stability problems with NVivo to recommend it. I
didn't find the support good; every NVivo support person I contacted
immediately assumed the problem lay in my computers. This is something
I've heard from the first time I had a software problem (with Fortran
on an IBM 1620 in 1965) and it's never lost its power to infuriate me.
I can endorse Anne's suggestion of Transana for analysing video. I've
only used it for short projects but found it simple and easy to use.
The interface has been carefull design and the learning curve is
*much* shorter than Altas.ti. Friends of mine have recently used it at
my suggestion for analysing many recordings from security cameras, and
the program functioned extremely well. It supports Jeffersonian
notation which is evidently handy for analysing conversation (my
friends also analysed queries and answers in call centre audio
recordings associated with the security camera video). The
transcription facility is basic - consisting of a set of tools for
assisting manual transcription.
Mike
Michael Mellody
Ecclesia Knowledge Management
|