Qualitative Data Analysis

NVivo is the premier software for qualitative data analysis. Qualitative researchers use NVivo to help them organize, analyze and visualize their data, and finding the patterns it contains. 

NVivo is available for Windows and Mac. Windows licenses can be used for both Windows and Mac installations—Mac licenses for Mac installations only.

The features of NVivo include but are not limited to:

• Organize and code multiple data sources in one project file
• Assign attributes to data and compare them
• Adding interpretations and notes to your data and codes
• Query and search your data
• Visualize your data

The University of Arizona does not have a campus-wide license for NVivo, nor does the University of Arizona Libraries.

To access NVivo software, you must purchase and download it through the official NVivo shop for either Mac or Windows. 

• IMPORTANT: The Windows and Mac versions are NOT the same. They have slightly different file formats, and several features are not available on NVivo for Mac. If you are collaborating with others, it is highly recommended that everyone use the same NVivo operating system. Mac users can also download a parallel/virtual Windows desktop (e.g., Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, Boot Camp) and run NVivo for Windows.

• Provides a centralized place to store documents, transcripts, audio and video, webpages, and many other types of data.
• Accommodates non-textual data files (e.g., images, video, etc.)
• Can run queries which pulls together coded information across various files
• Built-in visualization tools allow for the exploration of the data and the relationships between concepts.
• Contains built-in sample project populated with data to practice functionality.
• Both PC and Mac versions are available.
• Groups of researchers can simultaneously work on large project and later, merge projects together.

It is important to note that NVivo is there to help you manage, shape, and make sense of unstructured information. It doesn't do the thinking for you; it provides a workspace and tools to enable you to easily work through your information. It is a facilitative tool to help record your mental analysis, it does NOT analyze your data for you.