Qualitative Data Collection Post-COVID-19: An Overview of the Conduction of Virtual Focus Groups and Interviews

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic required a virtual shift in qualitative data collection within research studies. The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, a non-profit organization seeking to end human trafficking in Colorado, is one such institution that utilized online research modalities for the latest iteration of their longitudinal research study, the Colorado Project. Specifically, the 2023 iteration of the Colorado Project conducted focus groups and individual interviews via Zoom to explore how elements of trust, equity, and effectiveness function within the Colorado anti-human trafficking movement. The goal of this manuscript is to detail the process of implementing virtual focus groups and individual interviews in a large-scale, multidisciplinary research study. Our hope is that researchers can utilize our process of switching to a virtual, qualitative data collection modality to inform the creation of future virtual research studies.