Bridging Numbers and Multimodal Data: Advancing Metadata Standards For Qualitative and Mixed Data
The Qualitative Data Working Group (QDWG) of the DDI Alliance was created to address the challenges and opportunities arising from the increasing use and relevance of mixed methods in research.
The QDWG is thematically embedded in QualidataNet, a network that promotes the reuse of qualitative data and supports researchers and data infrastructures in this endeavor. Its coordination is funded by KonsortSWD-NFDI4Society, which is part of the National Research Data Infrastructure in Germany.
The idea of a working group on qualitative data emerged from discussions in the DDI-CDI group at Dagstuhl 2023, where a subgroup examined ways of integrating numerical and coded data with qualitative or multimodal data (free text, images, videos, and audio files).
Building on that work, the DDI QDWG was created in June 2025 with a broader focus on filling gaps in metadata documentation for qualitative data. The aim is to extend existing DDI products and standards so that qualitative or multimodal materials can be described, shared, and linked with other types of data in a robust and interoperable manner. To achieve this, QDWG will strive to maintain an ongoing dialogue with the diverse qualitative data community, gather user requirements, encourage the adoption of metadata standards wherever possible, and incorporate feedback into this work.
The group will also explore ways to leverage the growing development and application of artificial intelligence to qualitative data and build on use cases in qualitative and mixed methods research.
Our presentation introduces the DDI QDWG and its overarching objectives. We outline the scope of the group’s activities, showcasing recent deliverables, e.g., representing mixed datasets using DDI products and developing necessary best practices and guidelines. We hope to spark new ideas, foster collaboration, and provide a forum for discussing and solving the metadata challenges associated with describing, sharing, and integrating qualitative and mixed data.