Qualitative Analysis for Planning & Policy

The revised and updated second edition of Qualitative Analysis for Planning & Policy is a roadmap to help planners access qualitative data and integrate it into their planning investigations. Planning and policy decisions are not based solely on numbers, and this book equips planners with a how-to guide to see what has been missing "between the lines" of quantitative data and make good decisions using the best possible information.Each chapter offers step-by-step instruction on how to set up and enact diverse types of qualitative research, and case studies demonstrate how qualitative research techniques can be combined with quantitative methods to tackle complex real-world projects.For over a decade Qualitative Analysis for Planning & Policy has been an indispensable resource for students and researchers, experienced and novice planners. The revised second edition offers myriad tools to help twenty-first-century planners make intelligent decisions, including new qualitative research techniques, technological innovations, and contemporary case studies.

"The first version of Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy has long been the key text in this area. Providing well-written guidance on study design, data collection, analysis, and research outputs, this new edition adds a useful chapter on using qualitative methods in public participation. Raising value questions, the book also helps readers cultivate ethically informed approaches. Using clear prose, multiple real-world examples,and informative diagrams and charts, the book is easy to incorporate into methods, workshop, and seminar formats. Outside the classroom is a reference for practitioners wanting ideas about how to get more out of their project activities." —Ann Forsyth, Ruth and Frank Stanton Chair of Urban Planning, Harvard University"This book remains the go-to-source for planners curious about how to use qualitative methods to explore and tell a compelling story about issues of interest. The second edition offers novel insights on using emerging forms of big data and technologies, like smart phones and drones, to inform more responsive and holistic planning processes. Gaber’s conversational writing style, ample use of examples, and from-the-trenches perspective makes this an accessible resource for practitioners, community advocates, students, and faculty alike." —Deirdre Pfeiffer, AICP, Associate Professor and Program Director, Master of Urban and Environmental Planning, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University

John Gaber AICP is the Department Chair of City Planning and Real Estate Development and City and Regional Planning Professor at Clemson University, USA. Dr. Gaber has over 30 planning research articles published in an assortment of journals including: Journal of Planning Education and Research, Journal of Architecture and Planning, Evaluation and Program Planning, Journal of Planning Urban Development, and Journal of the American Planning Association. His most recent research projects include: Sherry Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation, qualitative research techniques used in citizen participation projects, Hippietowns, and mixed method research strategies.