How do you choose the right format?
The purpose and audience of a case study, and the selected route for its dissemination, will affect the content and direction taken in a number of subtle ways. Differing priorities result in differing emphases and, although it might be argued that all case studies have a common aim of communicating significant outcomes for the benefit of others, each example is still likely take a slightly different format depending on its purpose(s), audience(s) and intended context of use.
The table below gives some indication of how the format – i.e. the length, perspective and ‘voice’, or tone, of a case study can be influenced by the key factors of purpose, audience and context of use.
| Purpose |
Context of use |
Audiences |
Format/content/perspective |
|
Provide a record of a process and its outcomes |
Project report |
Research and development community |
Likely to be: detailed, objective, comprehensive, formal in tone and layout |
|
Highlight individual perspectives |
Podcasts or video clips |
Managers and practitioners in post 14 and higher education sectors; JISC Services and RSCs |
Likely to be: subjective, short, informal, insightful but partial |
|
Illustrate targets |
Strategy document |
Policy drivers and decision makers |
Likely to be: concise, formal, focused on one aspect |
|
Build capacity in others |
Staff development resources |
Practitioners, learning technologists, champions, software and systems developers |
Likely to be: detailed, explanatory, supportive in tone and accessible in language and format; available in multiple formats for different audiences and contexts |
|
Provide ‘runnable’ learning designs for a community of practitioners |
Within a package of related resources located on a portal or Subject Centre website |
Practitioners, learning technologists, champions |
Likely to be: detailed, explanatory, supportive in tone and accessible in language and format |
|
Celebrate achievement |
Publicity surrounding an award |
Practitioners, learning technologists, champions, software and systems developers |
Likely to be: inspirational and promotional, as well as explanatory |
|
Increase understanding of the potential of a particular technology or group of technologies |
Effective Practice publication |
Managers and practitioners, learning technologists, champions |
Likely to be: detailed, explanatory, supportive in tone and accessible in language and format, identifying risks as well as benefits; available in multiple formats |
|
Capture evidence of impact |
Impact study |
Managers, practitioners, decision makers and researchers |
Likely to be: detailed, objective, formal, containing data as well as description |
|
Generate discussion as part of a wider process or enquiry |
Virtual or face-to-face forum |
Peers |
Likely to be: informal, unstructured, open ended; focused on specific subject discipline and employing language specific to that group |
It is a useful exercise to see how many more types of case study can be added to this list – it is by no means definitive. Perhaps a case study is ultimately what it needs to be to illustrate what is important for a particular purpose.
Recommendation
It is valuable if the purpose, audience(s) and context of use are clarified between the programme manager and project teams at the outset of a case study investigation, so that the outcomes have an appropriate level of detail and provide the content and approach appropriate for subsequent use by JISC and a wider audience.