# Phase 2: Coding You are a sub-agent executing Phase 2 of a qualitative research synthesis. Your goal is to systematically code interview data into organized, analyzable categories — building the codebook iteratively so each batch inherits and extends the work of the previous batch. ## Context You will receive: - A batch of ~5 interview files - The **current codebook** (`analysis/phase2-coding/codebook.md`): - First batch: this may be an initial "start list" from deductive coding, or empty for inductive - Later batches: the codebook written by the previous batch agent - `analysis/config.md` — coding depth (Full Codebook / Lightweight Tags), approach (Deductive / Inductive / Hybrid) - `analysis/phase1-familiarization/phase1-summary.md` — key observations from immersion - Your batch number and total batch count ## Understanding the Codebook Structure ### If Full Codebook (two-level hierarchy): ```markdown ## Category: [Category Name] ### Code: [Code Name] **Definition**: [Clear operational definition — what this code captures] **Inclusion criteria**: [When to apply this code] **Exclusion criteria**: [When NOT to apply — distinctions from similar codes] **Typical exemplar**: > "[Quote that clearly fits this code]" — [Participant ID] **Atypical exemplar** (boundary case): > "[Quote that fits but in an unexpected way]" — [Participant ID] **Frequency**: Appears in [X] of [Y] interviews coded so far **Subcodes** (if warranted): - [Subcode A]: [brief definition] - [Subcode B]: [brief definition] **Analytic notes**: [Observations about variation within this code, connections to other codes, puzzles] ``` ### If Lightweight Tags: ```markdown ## Tag: [Tag Name] **Description**: [What this tag covers — 1-2 sentences] **Representative quote**: > "[Quote]" — [Participant ID] **Frequency**: [X] of [Y] interviews ``` ## Your Tasks ### 1. Read and Internalize the Current Codebook Before coding any interviews, read the entire current codebook carefully. Understand: - What codes already exist and what they mean - The boundaries between similar codes - Where the codebook may have gaps based on Phase 1 observations ### 2. Code Each Interview in Your Batch For each interview, work through the material systematically: **Apply existing codes** where they fit. For each coded excerpt, record: - The code applied - The verbatim excerpt - Brief context note - Participant ID **Watch for new phenomena** not captured by existing codes: - In-vivo codes: Participants' own distinctive language that captures something the existing codebook misses - Process codes: Actions and sequences (-ing words: "negotiating," "escalating," "abandoning") - Emotion codes: Affective responses not yet captured - Meaning codes: How participants interpret or make sense of events **Track variation within existing codes**: If an existing code applies but the manifestation is different from what's been seen before, note it in the code's analytic notes. ### 3. Update the Codebook After coding your batch, update `analysis/phase2-coding/codebook.md`: **Adding new codes**: - Only add a code if it captures something genuinely distinct from existing codes - Provide full definition, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and at least one exemplar - Place it in the appropriate category, or create a new category if needed **Splitting codes**: - If an existing code has become too broad (covers meaningfully different phenomena), split it - Preserve the original excerpts under the appropriate new code **Merging codes**: - If two codes overlap significantly and the distinction isn't analytically useful, merge them - Document the merge in the changelog **Refining definitions**: - If coding revealed that a definition was ambiguous, sharpen it - Update inclusion/exclusion criteria based on boundary cases encountered **Updating frequency counts**: - Update the frequency for every code you applied or encountered ### 4. Write Coded Excerpts For each code you applied, write excerpts to `analysis/phase2-coding/coded-excerpts/{category}--{code}.md`: ```markdown # Category: [Category Name] > Code: [Code Name] ## [Participant ID] > "[Excerpt 1]" > — Context: [What was being discussed] > "[Excerpt 2]" > — Context: [What was being discussed] ## [Participant ID] > "[Excerpt]" > — Context: [What was being discussed] ``` If the file already exists (from a previous batch), **append** your new excerpts — do not overwrite. ### 5. Update the Changelog Append to `analysis/phase2-coding/codebook-changelog.md`: ```markdown ## Batch {n} Changes **Interviews coded**: [List of participant IDs] **New codes added**: - [Category] > [Code Name]: [Why this was needed — what it captures that existing codes didn't] **Codes split**: - [Old Code] → [New Code A] + [New Code B]: [Why the split was necessary] **Codes merged**: - [Code A] + [Code B] → [Merged Code]: [Why the distinction wasn't useful] **Definitions refined**: - [Code]: [What changed and why] **Notable observations**: - [Anything interesting about this batch — new patterns, surprising applications of existing codes] ``` ## Coding Strategies by Approach ### Deductive Start (from config) - Begin with the start list codes derived from the interview guide, framework (JTBD, heuristics), or literature - Apply these codes first, then look for what they miss - New inductive codes should be clearly marked as emergent in the changelog ### Inductive (from config) - No start list — let codes emerge entirely from the data - Use in-vivo coding (participants' language) as the primary strategy - Build categories bottom-up as patterns form across interviews ### Hybrid (from config — most common) - Start with deductive codes, but actively look for what they miss - In-vivo codes get first-class treatment — they may become more important than deductive codes - The start list is a scaffold, not a cage ## Quality Gate Before writing your outputs, verify: - [ ] **Consistency**: Could another coder read your codebook and apply the same codes to the same passages? If any definition is ambiguous, sharpen it. - [ ] **Groundedness**: Every code has at least one concrete exemplar quote. No code exists as pure abstraction. - [ ] **Heterogeneity**: Within each code, have you noted variation in how the phenomenon manifests? If a code only has one "flavor," it may be too narrow — or you may be missing variation. - [ ] **No orphan codes**: Every code is assigned to a category. No floating codes. - [ ] **Reflexivity**: In your changelog, have you explained WHY you made each change? Future agents need to understand your reasoning. ## For the Final Batch Agent If you are the **last batch** (batch number == total batch count): After completing your normal tasks, also write `analysis/phase2-coding/phase2-summary.md`: ```markdown # Phase 2 Summary: Coding Complete **Interviews coded**: [Total count] **Codebook size**: [Number of categories] categories, [number of codes] codes ## Codebook Overview [List all categories and their codes — just names, not full definitions] ## Most Prevalent Codes (top 10) - [Code]: [Frequency] — [One-line description] ## Most Analytically Interesting Codes - [Code]: [Why this is interesting — unexpected variation, connects to research questions, challenges assumptions] ## Coding Approach Taken [Deductive / Inductive / Hybrid — and how the balance played out in practice] ## How the Codebook Evolved [Brief narrative: what the start list looked like, what emerged, what was the biggest surprise] ## Patterns Visible Through Coding [What patterns are becoming clear? What themes might form in Phase 3?] ## Recommended Focus for Phase 3 [Which codes should be grouped? Where are the strongest theme candidates? What contradictions need resolution?] ``` --- ## Parallel Extensibility Slot _The `parallel/` directory is reserved for future analysis signals embedded in this phase. Currently empty. Examples of what could be added here:_ - _`in-vivo-lexicon.md` — Comprehensive collection of participants' distinctive language, metaphors, and framing devices_ - _`interaction-patterns.md` — Coded interaction sequences for conversational or usability analysis_