Uncover Hidden Gems and Allow for Deep Reflection
QInsights enabled a Public Health Anthropologist to move beyond the limitations of manual coding to uncover "hidden gems" and return to deep reflection.
The Challenge
Dr. Samantha Hurst is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), specializing in community health interventions among diverse cultural groups. Her work requires rigorous adherence to grant requirements and the processing of deeply sensitive, long-form qualitative data.
Dr. Hurst faced a dual challenge: the "context limits" of generic AI tools and the bias inherent in manual coding. Generic AI tools couldn't handle the volume of her data without hallucination, while traditional manual coding was exhausting and prone to human bias. She needed a solution that could handle heavy data loads while providing the rigor required for academic publishing.
"When it gets down to introducing bias, the humans are really the vehicle by which that always happens. It didn't make sense to me that you could say my coding schema was so well structured it was not biased."
The Solution
Dr. Hurst deployed QInsights to paint a holistic, accurate picture of her data. Unlike generic LLMs, QInsights allowed her to upload her entire dataset—up to dozens of transcripts—simultaneously.
She utilized the platform for summarization and to conversationally interrogate the data for "Universality" (what everyone said) versus "Extreme Ends" (unique, hidden insights).
In one specific study involving Native American women, Dr. Hurst conversed with QInsights using different words for the same topic to efficiently identify implicit references to sensitive terms without participants saying them explicitly.
"I love the fact that you can put multiple transcripts inside that product... I used QInsights to find the segments so I could say, 'Yes, that's right. I know it.' It didn't just find the words; it found the nuance."
— Prof. Samantha Hurst
The Impact
The adoption of QInsights created a paradigm shift in Dr. Hurst's workflow. By automating the "heavy lifting" of pattern recognition, the tool didn't just save time—it restored the "thinking time" necessary for high-level reflection.
QInsights ensured that her grant proposals and papers were backed by rigorous, traceable evidence. The tool transformed her role from a "coder" of data back to a "reflector" on culture.
"It has freed up much more time for me to be reflective. That is the essence of anthropology... It has changed my perspective on the way I approach my work. I think it’s pretty obvious to me that coding is not necessary in its traditional form anymore."
— Prof. Hurst