So I was on this qualitative study forum trying to do some research on qualitative analysis software. I was reviewing the various kinds and someone suggested Dedoose. I went on the website and I watched a couple of videos and tutorials. I was sold! It looked like it would help organize and sort some of my data and help me in the last push of this research project. There was the 30-day free trial, so I would at least try it out...so after spending 2 days on it (but logging in about 15 hrs on it) heres my review:
PROS: Easy to use, pretty self explanatory, and lots of videos that help you learn how to use it fairly quickly. Simple interface. Web-based so you can be working anywhere there is a computer and internet. Great for coding and memos and works with different methodologies and also allows you to use quantitative data also. I am pretty new to qualitative analysis software so this really made it easy for me.
CONS: WEB-BASED That could be problematic if you are not near a place with internet...like a couple of international flights I'll be on, or any other number of places.
LOTS OF BUGS. Granted its a new site (just about a month old), but my data keeps disappearing. Customer support is polite and nice and warned me not to be overly concerned about loss data, it's not loss, it's just not presenting. That's good to know, except I need not only on their server, BUT ALSO on my screen. When their site is down or not functioning properly...my study and my deadlines don't function that properly. I think it will be great, but there are too many bugs for me to handle when time is off the essence. I have spent a lot of time and tears today waiting for my data to be recovered or redirected.
Also, they advertise INEXPENSIVE, though I don't find it so. It is cheaper than other software packages for institutions, but not for a student. A student can get MAXQDA or Atlas ti for $99 for 12 months; as opposed to $156 for Dedoose.
Maybe down the line I may come back to it, I think it will be a good product eventually but for me on a time crunch, I need something that works 24 hrs a day, 6 days a week...that's when I'm working.
