Flowchart

Mixed methods research design diagram template

A mixed methods design diagram for an explanatory sequential study: survey and statistics first, interview sampling based on the results, qualitative analysis, then integration. Adapt it to your thesis design, then export PNG, SVG, Word or PowerPoint free.

Phase 2 Qualitative

Semi-structured interviews

Transcribe and code

Develop themes

Connecting

Identify results that need explaining

Select interviewees and write the guide

Phase 1 Quantitative

Develop and pilot the survey

Sample and collect data

Descriptive and regression analysis

Research questions and literature

Mixed methods design

Integrate both sets of findings

Conclusions and limitations

Previewed in the “Indigo” theme; you can switch themes in the editor

When to use it

When a thesis uses a survey plus interviews, examiners ask how the two parts connect. This figure gives the connection its own layer: look at which quantitative results need explaining, decide who to interview and what to ask, then integrate both sets of findings.

Make it yours

  • For an exploratory sequential design, swap the two phases and change the connecting layer to "Build the survey from the themes".
  • For a convergent design, place the two phases side by side and join them at integration.
  • Replace each step with your own method and sample size.

Mermaid code

mixed-methods-roadmap.mmd
flowchart TB
    A[Research questions and literature] --> B[Mixed methods design]
    subgraph Q1[Phase 1 Quantitative]
        direction LR
        C1[Develop and pilot the survey] --> C2[Sample and collect data] --> C3[Descriptive and regression analysis]
    end
    subgraph Q2[Connecting]
        direction LR
        D1[Identify results that need explaining] --> D2[Select interviewees and write the guide]
    end
    subgraph Q3[Phase 2 Qualitative]
        direction LR
        E1[Semi-structured interviews] --> E2[Transcribe and code] --> E3[Develop themes]
    end
    B --> Q1 --> Q2 --> Q3
    Q3 --> F[Integrate both sets of findings]
    F --> G[Conclusions and limitations]

Ask an AI for one with this structure

Send the prompt below to ChatGPT or Claude, then paste the whole reply into the editor; the code inside is detected automatically.

prompt.txt
Draw an explanatory sequential mixed methods design diagram with Mermaid flowchart TB syntax. Start with research questions and literature, then the mixed methods design. Use three subgraphs with direction LR inside: Phase 1 Quantitative with developing and piloting the survey, sampling and collecting data, and statistical analysis; Connecting with identifying results that need explaining and selecting interviewees; Phase 2 Qualitative with semi-structured interviews, transcribing and coding, and developing themes. End with integrating both sets of findings and conclusions. Do not use parentheses in node text. Output only the mermaid code block.

FAQ

I ran a survey and a few interviews. Is that mixed methods?

It depends on whether the interviews are analyzed in their own right and integrated with the survey results. If they only illustrate, "survey study with supporting interviews" is more accurate.

Should the figure name the design type?

Yes. Naming it as explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential or convergent in the design node helps examiners.

What happens if a subgraph title is long?

It widens the whole box. Keep titles to a few words and move detail into the nodes.

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Updated 2026-11-11