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May 25, 2026
The USM Satellite Socio-Economic Research and Data Analytics Center (SERDAC) held a lecture-workshop on qualitative analysis using MAXQDA for the Department of Economic Development (DepDev) XII personnel on May 19, 2026, at Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City.
The workshop was part of the project commissioned by DepDev to USM SERDAC titled “Benchmarking SOCCSKSARGEN Towards an Agro-Industrial Center and Agro-Eco-Cultural Tourism Hub.”
The activity aimed to strengthen the research team’s skills in managing and analyzing qualitative data using MAXQDA. It also helped capacitate DepDev personnel in handling qualitative data analysis for the successful implementation of the project.
MAXQDA is a software used for qualitative and mixed-method research. It helps researchers organize, code, analyze, and present large amounts of data from interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, audio, video, and online sources.
The name “QDA” stands for Qualitative Data Analysis, while “MAX” was inspired by German sociologist Max Weber, whose ideas influenced the development of the software.
Prof. Frans Bert D. Gomez, Head of the USM Multicultural Indigenous Peoples Center for Research, Education, and Development, served as the resource person of the activity. In his discussion, Prof. Gomez shared the importance of MAXQDA and explained how it helped him in his dissertation. He taught the participants the basics of manual coding and showed them how to turn raw data into themes. He also guided them in using the MAXQDA interface, setting up a research project, applying digital coding strategies, and using retrieval functions.
USM SERDAC is headed by Dr. Romiel John P. Basan.
