Rigorous, rapid, reliable and qualitative?: Computing in qualitative method

Objective: To explore whether qualitative methods are problematic and persuasive in health education research. Method: Explored this problem through the 3 goals of rigor, rapidity, and reliability and their special meanings in qualitative analysis. Results: For each, contributions of qualitative computing software are identified and their effects assessed. Conclusion: Qualitative researchers are assisted by software tools in pursuit of each of these goals, but in each area there is a need for software design to address the tasks of research where rigor, rapidity, and reliability are paramount requirements.