Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.

Andrew Barnfield; Geoff Bates

doi:10.1111/area.12998

Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.

Andrew Barnfield
, Geoff Bates

University of East London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

We are a geographer and a public policy researcher who share an interest in public health. In this paper we will explore coding in thematic analysis in a transdisciplinary qualitative study. We begin by introducing a moment from our 16-week coding phase to identify the challenges in working across disciplines on qualitative analysis. Transdisciplinary research is about meeting in space and time - between disciplines and ideas, currents of thought – and producing something greater than the sum of its parts. It creates challenges for producing good quality research while maintaining team cohesion. In discussing our coding practices and procedures we highlight how paying attention to team dynamics and atmosphere creation is fundamental for working in large groups.

Original language	English
Article number	e12998
Journal	Area
Volume	58
Issue number	1
Early online date	6 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12998
Publication status	Published - 31 Mar 2026

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Russel Hitchings and Dr. Lauren Wagner for organising the RGS 2023 conference sessions ‘Digging into data’ and this special edition. Extra thanks to Lauren who helped to shape this paper. We would like to thank the participants from the conference and our colleagues from the wider TRUUD team.

Funding

This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/ S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome.

Funders	Funder number
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
UK Prevention Research Partnership	MR/ S037586/1

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

coding
dynamics
methods
teamwork
transdisciplinary

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geography, Planning and Development

Access to Document

10.1111/area.12998Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{3dbd5a3d37a9444ea19e9d913bb367fc,

title = "Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.",

abstract = "We are a geographer and a public policy researcher who share an interest in public health. In this paper we will explore coding in thematic analysis in a transdisciplinary qualitative study. We begin by introducing a moment from our 16-week coding phase to identify the challenges in working across disciplines on qualitative analysis. Transdisciplinary research is about meeting in space and time - between disciplines and ideas, currents of thought – and producing something greater than the sum of its parts. It creates challenges for producing good quality research while maintaining team cohesion. In discussing our coding practices and procedures we highlight how paying attention to team dynamics and atmosphere creation is fundamental for working in large groups. ",

keywords = "coding, dynamics, methods, teamwork, transdisciplinary",

author = "Andrew Barnfield and Geoff Bates",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1111/area.12998",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

journal = "Area",

issn = "0004-0894",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.

AU - Barnfield, Andrew

AU - Bates, Geoff

PY - 2026/3/31

Y1 - 2026/3/31

N2 - We are a geographer and a public policy researcher who share an interest in public health. In this paper we will explore coding in thematic analysis in a transdisciplinary qualitative study. We begin by introducing a moment from our 16-week coding phase to identify the challenges in working across disciplines on qualitative analysis. Transdisciplinary research is about meeting in space and time - between disciplines and ideas, currents of thought – and producing something greater than the sum of its parts. It creates challenges for producing good quality research while maintaining team cohesion. In discussing our coding practices and procedures we highlight how paying attention to team dynamics and atmosphere creation is fundamental for working in large groups.

AB - We are a geographer and a public policy researcher who share an interest in public health. In this paper we will explore coding in thematic analysis in a transdisciplinary qualitative study. We begin by introducing a moment from our 16-week coding phase to identify the challenges in working across disciplines on qualitative analysis. Transdisciplinary research is about meeting in space and time - between disciplines and ideas, currents of thought – and producing something greater than the sum of its parts. It creates challenges for producing good quality research while maintaining team cohesion. In discussing our coding practices and procedures we highlight how paying attention to team dynamics and atmosphere creation is fundamental for working in large groups.

KW - coding

KW - dynamics

KW - methods

KW - teamwork

KW - transdisciplinary

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85217173229

U2 - 10.1111/area.12998

DO - 10.1111/area.12998

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-0894

VL - 58

JO - Area

JF - Area

IS - 1

M1 - e12998

ER -

Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Tackling the Root Causes of Unhealthy Planning, Economics and Decision-making: An Urban Systems Approach

Cite this

Coding with a transdisciplinary team - A project exploring unhealthy urban development.

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Tackling the Root Causes of Unhealthy Planning, Economics and Decision-making: An Urban Systems Approach

Cite this