Comparison of Data Collection Methods - Juliana

Observations:

Observations would probably be the easiest method to use at MOXI since we already do it all the time. The main difference would be that we are recording the observations and analyzing them. One major challenge to observations though is that we can only infer what guests are thinking if we do not approach them and ask questions like we would in an interview or survey.

Pros

-       Observer does not need to get consent

-       Won’t disrupt guests

-       Many observations can be done at one time

-       Not much planning required ahead of time

Cons

-       More analysis required after observations are done to infer what guests may be thinking and what they have learned

-       No way to know exactly what guests are thinking unless they say it out loud

Interviews:

Informal conversational interviews would probably be the best type of interview to conduct at MOXI. An unstructured interview puts less pressure on the guest because it is more of an open-ended conversation rather than explicit questions that a guest needs to answer. However, there are also advantages to semi-structured and structured interviews, so that the same topics are covered with each guest, making it easier to analyze results later on.

Pros

-       More thorough than observations because you can ask guests what they learned and what they are thinking

-       Conversational interviews simpler than structured interviews

-       Can be qualitative or quantitative, or both

Cons

-       Time-consuming, depending on how many questions are asked and if you want a large sample of guests

-       Bias: some guests will answer what they think you want to hear

-       Requires advance planning in how you will conduct the interview and which questions you will ask

-       Not all guests you ask to interview will want to participate

-     May be disruptive to guests

Surveys/Questionnaires:

Surveys would definitely be the easiest way of collecting data, as you can get much more data without even having to be present. However, there are many forms of bias that may be present, so they may not always give accurate results.

Pros

-       Evaluator does not have to be present for survey to be completed by guest

-       Not very time-consuming, easier to get lots of data

-       Can be qualitative or quantitative, or both

Cons

-       Requires lots of planning and testing to make sure survey is clear

-       Language of questions will influence guests’ responses

-       Some guests will choose not to respond