Using research diagrams for member validation in qualitative research

The process of member validation requires researchers to present their findings back to the communities that have been studied to gain their appraisal of the work. By depicting subject matter that ranges from the physical to the conceptual, diagrams provide a valuable alternative to the written documents traditionally used in member validation. This paper reports on a study in which diagram-based member validation was used to assess the accuracy and acceptability of the researchers' interpretations. The manner in which the technique was implemented, the benefits that were realized and possible directions for future work are all discussed.