Signal & Noise blog
Skimle's blog dedicated to high quality analysis using modern methods
Gathering rich data with AI-interviews - Introducing Skimle Ask
Skimle Ask is an AI interviewer that lets anyone collect rich qualitative insights at survey scale. Set up in minutes, share a link, get real answers — not just scores.
HR surveys - moving from meaningless numbers to deep insights using AI interviewers
Annual engagement surveys produce scores, not understanding. AI interviewers now make it possible to gather rich qualitative insights from hundreds of employees at the cost and speed of a survey.
Manual coding and REFI-QDA export - combining Skimle's AI analysis with manual workflows
How to use Skimle's manual editing tools to refine AI-generated codes, and how to export your full coding scheme to NVivo, MAXQDA, or ATLAS.ti via REFI-QDA.
Discovering themes in the data using metadata variables - advanced analysis with Skimle
In this article we explain how to discover patterns in the data using Skimle's metadata features. Analyse differences in responses by time period, gender, type of organisation or any other variable
Death of SaaS... or the renaissance of better software?
SaaS valuations are crashing and commentators are calling it the 'SaaSpocalypse'. We think the story is more nuanced - and for well-designed software built on genuine domain knowledge, this moment is ...
AI text analysis - Don't use 'motorised Swiss knives' for serious qualitative analysis
AI can help in analysis, but the rush to replace rigorous methods with wrong tools risks more harm than good. One head of AI remarked 'big AI' is trying to sell the same tool for all use cases.
End-to-end workflows - Importing and exporting data with Skimle
We're big believers in building a tool that integrates with the day to day work of knowledge professionals. In this post we explain what is possible with Skimle and what is coming next!
Analysing interviews and other documents in multiple languages with Skimle
You interviewed people in French, German, English and Swedish, and need to analyse also some Finnish text and Spanish emails as well. How to cope with multiple languages?
Practical end-to-end setup for interviews using audio recording, transcription and AI-assisted analysis
A step-by-step guide to recording, transcribing, and analysing interviews efficiently using your iPhone, cloud storage, and AI tools. Stop taking frantic notes and start capturing better insights.
How does ChatGPT actually work? And how do LLMs analyse data?
Most people have serious misconceptions about how ChatGPT and other AI systems work. Understanding what's actually happening under the hood helps you use these tools better and avoid their biggest pit...
Skimlecast is back: Episodes 6 to 8
This time we went into a professional podcast studio and spent some quality time discussing how Skimle works, our learnings from start-up life, and the big 'Is AI good or bad?'-debate
Synthetic respondents in research - promise, pitfalls and when to use in 2026
AI-generated personas that answer surveys and interviews are becoming mainstream in market research. But can synthetic respondents replace real humans? Here's what works, what doesn't, and when to use...
Self-serving qualitative data - How AI enables democratisation of insights
During the past ten years, dashboards have unleashed a wave of self-serve quantitative analyses. LLMs are now enabling that for qualitative data. What will this mean in practice & how to benefit?
Is AI destroying our ability to think? Using technology to augment, not replace expertise in qualitative research
Copy a question and paste it to a chat bot, press enter and mindlessly copy the answer back... Will poor use of AI reduce rigour of qualitative analysis and make us dumber?
How to analyse open text responses at scale - without losing your mind
The dreaded open text answer box on the last page. Researchers fear the cumbersome data it will create, and respondents worry if anybody is listening. Is there a smart way to turn answers to insights?
What if? Reanalyzing our Qualitative Study with Skimle AI
To get a real sense of what AI can and cannot do, the best approach is to reanalyse a dataset you know. In this blog we reanalyse our qualitative study published in Organization Science with Skimle AI...
How to win with AI in 2026: pointers for senior executives
The AI landscape is constantly evolving. Here's what CEOs and senior executives need to focus on in 2026 to prepare their organisations for the years ahead.
Qualitative Data Analysis Software - a 2026 comparison of tools
How to pick the right tool for analysing your interview transcript or other qualitative data? How do older manual tools like NVivo, ATLAS.ti, Dedoose and MAXQDA compare with specialist tools like Dove...
How to Use AI in Qualitative Research - A Guide for Academic Researchers 2026
Reflections on the use of AI tools for qualitative interview analysis in academic research. This comprehensive guide covers coding, thematic analysis, GDPR compliance, ethical AI use, and how to avoid...
Skimlecast: Episodes 2 to 5 are out!
We've been busy recording Skimecast, and have published four new episodes in December 2025. In these episode we share why we built Skimle, discuss how to run qualitative interviews, reveal our secret ...
Using ChatGPT and other LLMs to analyse interviews and qualitative data - what works and what doesn't
Simple LLM tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok or Copilot seem like the perfect solution for qualitative analysis: fast, easy, and impressive in demos. But practical experience and research revea...
How to write the perfect interview guide - 10 practical tips for preparing your questions
A well-crafted interview guide is the foundation of successful qualitative research. Learn how to structure questions, iterate as you learn, mix question types strategically, and use AI to test your g...
How many interviews do you need for qualitative research? A practical guide to sample size.
You're planning to do a series of interviews to gather information to solve a business problem, write an academic paper or perform due diligence. Many researchers and business people strugle to identi...
Skimlecast 1: Welcome to Skimlecast
Get to know Henri and Olli from Skimle in our inaugral episode of Skimlecast. In this series we discuss high quality thematic analysis, articial intelligence, knowledge work while making low-quality F...