title: Qualitative teamwork issues and strategies: coordination through mutual adjustment.
abstract: Multidisciplinary research teams that include faculty, students, and volunteers can be challenging and enriching for all participants. Although such teams are becoming commonplace, minimal guidance is available about strategies to enhance team effectiveness. In this article, the authors highlight strategies to guide qualitative teamwork through coordination of team members and tasks based on mutual adjustment. Using a grounded theory exemplar, they focus on issues of (a) building the team, (b) developing reflexivity and theoretical sensitivity, (c) tackling analytic and methodological procedures, and (d) developing dissemination guidelines. Sharing information, articulating project goals and elements, acknowledging variation in individual goals, and engaging in reciprocity and respectful collaboration are key elements of mutual adjustment. The authors summarize conclusions about the costs and benefits of the process.
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Bonita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bermbach
authors.forename: Sharalyn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014505:Urban Population; D014838:Volunteers