During the exploration phase, what type of research is typically conducted?

During the exploration phase, unstructured research is conducted to gain a better understanding of the problem at hand or to generate initial insights. This phase is characterized by a flexible and open approach, allowing researchers to gather qualitative data that can provide rich context and identify potential areas for further investigation.

Unstructured research methods such as interviews, focus groups, and open-ended surveys enable researchers to explore new ideas and uncover variables that may not have been previously considered. This exploratory nature is crucial because it lays the groundwork for developing more structured and focused research questions as the project progresses.

In contrast, highly structured research typically involves predefined methodologies and is often used in later phases when specific hypotheses need to be tested. Costly research implies that the financial resources required are significant, which is not inherently true for exploratory methods that can sometimes be conducted with minimal expense. Lastly, quantitative research relies on numerical data and statistical analysis, which is generally not suited for the initial exploration phase where context and qualitative insights are prioritized.