A Day In Life: – reflections on collective work in qualitative research

This article presents insights from A Day In Life (ADIL), a collective
research initiative involving 13 researchers. Each researcher conducted
fieldwork, following a young person throughout a day in their life. A
shared set of methodological guidelines was developed prior to fieldwork.
Studies were carried out individually across various Nordic locations,
while the subsequent analysis was conducted collectively. We reflect on
three key methodological dimensions: the formulation of the initiative;
the dynamics of researcher–participant positioning and practices of
fieldwork; and the tensions between collective and individual analytical
processes. We argue that the ADIL approach challenges conventional
roles in qualitative research by encouraging participants to assume active
roles - and researchers to engage with uncertainty. ADIL exemplifies both
conditions, benefits and complexities of collective research and highlights
the potential of collective inquiry to disrupt established assumptions,
stimulate creativity, and generate novel understandings through iterative,
shared engagement.