Colour Coding: an Alternative to Analyse Empirical Data via Grounded Theory
Bernd O. Stottok, Martin N. Bergaus and Andrea Gorra
Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
b.stottok@gmx.de
martin.bergaus@gmx.at
a.gorra@leedsmet.ac.uk
1. Abstract
Grounded Theory is an inductive and systematic qualitative methodology that has been widely used
in various disciplines to code and analyse data in order to facilitate explanations about
interrelationships of these data. This paper discusses a visual alternative to “traditional” semantic,
numerical or alphanumerical Grounded Theory interview coding and analysis: that of Colour Coding.
The method follows the steps of Grounded Theory coding but uses colours to reflect the code,
concept, and finally category to which a piece of text is assigned. Codes in this sense are keywords
and short sentences, typically assigned to statements in the interview transcript, concepts are
interrelationships of codes, and categories are interrelationships of concepts.
The paper demonstrates how the Colour Coding Method has already been successfully used in three
different studies. It shows the different steps necessary when using Colour Coding and evaluates the
suitability of the method by discussing its advantages and disadvantages. Even though some may
perceive the Colour Coding technique as time consuming, Colour Coding makes it simple to see
which parts of the text belong to which category and of the importance they have had to the
interviewee, based on the amount of cells this category occupies in the “Fact Finding Tool”. This
analysis tool, set up in Microsoft Excel, is used to keep track of the various codes, concepts, and
categories and to support their analysis. It also enables the researcher to split up or combine
categories during the analysis process by changing and tracking the colour.
This article is of significance to those interested in the practical application of Grounded Theory and
also of particular relevance for researchers who are visually-minded owing to the method’s focus on
colour. The method can also be adapted for coding not linked to Grounded Theory.
2. Key Words
Colour Coding, Grounded Theory, Visualisation, Empirical Research, Qualitative Data Analysis
3. Introduction
This article introduces an alternative coding procedure used in Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM)
- the method of Colour Coding. The paper begins with a short introduction to GTM, with particular
focus on data collection and interview coding methods, followed by an introduction to Colour Coding,
the visual coding method introduced in this publication. This new and innovative way of coding
interview data uses coloured fonts to assign certain codes, concepts and categories to the interview
text, with codes being keywords or short sentences, concepts being interrelationships of codes, and
categories being interrelationships of concepts. It has been successfully used in three dissertation
projects at Masters and PhD level.
Colour Coding follows the tradition of the different coding methods used in Grounded Theory (GT). In
addition, we argue that it supports the use of abduction, a way of forming and confirming a
hypothesis, as the method of Colour Coding helps to move quickly from the phase of open coding to