Workshops as a Research Method in Health Science: Epistemological and Methodological Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Health Science Research Methodology
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Phenomenological Research

Background:

• Workshops (WSs) are increasingly used for user involvement in health science research, particularly in co-design processes.
• There is a need for systematic methods to ensure the validity and reliability of knowledge generated through workshops.
• User involvement is crucial across all research stages in academia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and discuss the application of a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach for health science workshops.
• To present a practical method and guide for conducting workshops in health science research.
• To establish workshops as a self-standing research method within a scientific framework.

Main Methods:

• Epistemological and methodological discussions focused on workshops as a research method.
• Application of a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach to understand subjective experiences and meanings.
• Development of a systematic guide for planning, conducting, and analyzing workshop data.

Main Results:

• Workshops in health science align with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach and can be considered a self-standing research method.
• The proposed approach enhances understanding of phenomena by emphasizing individual experiences and shared interpretations.
• Examples illustrate the practical application of workshops within this framework in health science.

Conclusions:

• The phenomenological-hermeneutic approach supports workshops as a research method by integrating self-reflection and interpretation.
• A systematic approach to workshop planning, conduction, and analysis yields reliable findings and enhances research transparency.
• Combining the 'how' and 'why' of workshops increases transparency and trustworthiness, creating valuable scientific knowledge.