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What happens when the numbers are no longer enough?

In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore the philosophical shift from positivism to phenomenology—a transition many researchers make when they realise that measurement alone cannot capture the fullness of human experience.

Moving from certainty, objectivity, and clear answers into a world of ambiguity, interpretation, and multiple meanings can feel disorientating. But it can also open up entirely new ways of understanding.

We’re joined by Jade Sampford, a clinical specialist physiotherapist and doctoral researcher, who shares her journey from evidence-based clinical practice into interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Through her work exploring the lived experience of weight loss medication, Jade highlights how the same “outcome” can mean something profoundly different for different people.

In this episode, we explore:

• The differences between positivist and interpretivist paradigms
• Why lived experience cannot always be measured or quantified
• The discomfort—and possibility—of leaving behind “right answers”
• How phenomenology reveals nuance, meaning, and contradiction
• The role of reflexivity in challenging our assumptions
• Bringing phenomenological insights into practice-driven fields like healthcare and education

We also reflect on how this shift is not about rejecting positivism, but expanding our understanding—seeing paradigms not as opposites, but as companions offering different pieces of the puzzle.

Whether you’re a practitioner, researcher, or simply curious about how we come to understand the world, this episode invites you to slow down, notice more, and embrace the richness of not knowing.

What does it actually feel like to analyse data phenomenologically?

In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we step into one of the most challenging—and often isolating—phases of phenomenological research: data analysis.

Without a step-by-step guide, researchers are left with rich, complex material and a deceptively simple question: what now? From transcripts and artefacts to meaning, interpretation, and insight, this episode explores what it means to truly work with data rather than simply process it.

We’re joined by doctoral researcher Liz Shaw, who shares an honest, in-the-moment account of being immersed in interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Together, we explore the tensions, uncertainties, and unexpected moments of discovery that come with dwelling deeply in data.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What “dwelling with data” really means in practice
• Why phenomenological analysis is slow, messy, and deeply relational
• The tension between researcher voice and participant voice
• Navigating uncertainty, doubt, and the feeling of being “lost”
• The discipline of staying anchored to your research question
• Why analysis is never truly finished—only paused

We also reflect on the emotional texture of this stage—where exhaustion and joy often sit side by side—and why that discomfort may be a sign that meaningful work is happening.

Whether you’re in the middle of your own analysis or preparing to begin, this episode offers reassurance that feeling uncertain isn’t a failure—it’s part of doing phenomenology well.