In qualitative data analysis (QDA), coding is a critical process used to organize and make sense of textual or non-numerical data, such as interview transcripts, observation notes, and open-ended survey responses. Coding allows researchers to systematically categorize and interpret qualitative data, drawing out themes, patterns, and insights. Here’s how coding contributes to qualitative analysis:

In short, coding transforms qualitative data into meaningful information that can be analyzed systematically, helping researchers build a coherent narrative and extract actionable insights.

Despite what Johanes Okumu 's cut and paste from an AI says, I think it is useful to ask whether coding is primarily an organizational tool or an actual part of the analysis. To my way of thinking, the crucial element in qualitative analysis is the interpretation of the data. In contrast, coding is merely a process for labelling and categorizing the data prior to interpretation, which requires the active application of human imagination.