Topical Review: Crowdsourcing as a Novel Approach to Qualitative Research

Objective To describe a novel, five-phase approach to collecting qualitative data from hard-to-reach populations using crowdsourcing methods. Methods Drawing from experiences across recent studies with type 1 diabetes and congenital heart disease stakeholders, we describe five phases of crowdsourcing methodology, an innovative approach to conducting qualitative research within an online environment, and discuss relevant practical and ethical issues. Results Phases of crowdsourcing methodology are: (I) Preparing; (II) Forming Crowds; (III) Collecting Crowdsourced Data; (IV) Coding and Analyzing Crowdsourced Data; and (V) Generating and Disseminating Findings. Iterative feedback from stakeholders is obtained in all five phases. Practical and ethical issues include accessing diverse stakeholders, emotional engagement of crowd participants, responsiveness and transparency of crowdsourcing methodology, and limited personal contact with crowd participants. Conclusions Crowdsourcing is an innovative, efficient, feasible, and timely approach to engaging hard-to-reach populations in qualitative research.