Advantages of Going Mobile for Research

With the growing number of people going mobile through broadband and wifi services through their smartphones, tablets and many more devices it is undeniable that researchers should start taking advantage of the emerging technologies and find creative ways to gather qualitative data. 
Here are the ways as to how mobile technology can be used by researchers in gathering qualitative data that used to consume much time, cost and effort. 

• Messaging such as Instant Messaging, SMS, Facebook Chat, Twitter, and many more mobile messaging platforms has enabled quick exchanges of information, invites and feedback between participants and moderators. They can easily answer Question and Answer type of conversations, to diary entries, send attachments, instructions, reminders and affirmation seamlessly and in real time at an almost zero cost.
• In-depth interviews can be conducted and logged on the go easily through mediums such emails and voicemail allowing people to respond to the questions at times that they would find convenient. 
• Smartphones and tablets allow the participants to access applications or go through mobile websites where they can join and participate in without having to log in to a computer or physically go out of their way just to give out their response about a product or service. 
• Through their mobile digital devices participants can input data easily through online forums which they can come back too at any time of the day whenever they find it convenient and continue their activities or conversation as an individual or a group. Through their smartphones they can now also easily make a recording and capture an image or a moment and share it through email right there and then as it occurs. 
• Multi-media approach is now possible enabling researchers to capture every moment that participants have that are relevant to the research in multiple platforms such as photos, videos, and messages and receive them as it is occurring. For the participants this makes it easy for them to participate because these are actions that are seemingly natural and easy for them to do with their mobile devices. 
• Managing of data is now much simpler for the researcher because through assigning usernames, categorizing user characteristics such as demographics, branding, personalities and more as filters, the data being gathered is easily segregated, manipulated and arranged in ways that allow them to interpret data as it occurs or for later use and analysis. 

The six advantages mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the creative usages of going through the medium of mobile research. In time we are sure to see much more as tools that target this medium shall be developed. As the mobile devices have quickly become and integral part of society redefining how people now interact with each other and their daily lives, it would be wise for researchers to start exploring how these too can help them improve the way research is done. One thing that should be considered is that with any type of research platforms it would be best to approach it with no assumptions about what you can or can’t do. But keeping an open mind the data one can gather through this method is sure to reveal itself to be quite valuable.