Qualitative interview methodology

Interview guide development

Prior to conducting the qualitative interviews, a workshop was held with the Ministry’s project team to identify and confirm the key indicators and/or outcomes to be achieved by the evaluation. This information helped to inform the development of the group discussion and interview guides.

Respondent definition and sampling

All participants to the qualitative study were urban design signatory representatives. The sample included participants from the two largest signatory types (viz. consultants and local government), and also included signatory representatives from central government and educational institutes.

The table following summaries the final sample structure.

Table 1: Survey response in relation to total sample
Number of individual interviews Number of group discussions
Consultants 2 2
Local government 2 3
Central government 1 -
Educational institutes 2 -
Total 7 5

Fieldwork and interview process

A total of seven in-depth interviews (lasting up to one hour in duration) and five group discussions (approximately two hours in duration) were conducted in April and May 2009, and were located in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton. The Ministry undertook all recruitment, and conducted the majority of the qualitative interviews and group discussions.

All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed in order to be analysed against the key indicators and outcomes, and to inform the subsequent online questionnaire design.

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