The Novel Use of Life Grids in a Phenomenological Study of Family Carers of People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities and Dysphagia

Life grids have been used in qualitative studies for the last two decades. They provide an activity which researcher and participant can focus their attention on, help build rapport, and reduce the control the researcher may hold within a session. Here we describe the novel use of life grids at the end of a data collection phase. Used in this previously unreported way, life grids assisted the closure of the data collection phase by summarizing the data collection and marking departure from the field. Creation of a life grid produced a tangible outcome, evidencing the work undertaken within the data collection period. They served as a powerful member checking tool, allowing participants to make additions and corrections to the data. In this article, the use of life grids in this novel way is described and recommended by the authors.