These were individuals who indicated willingness to participate in an interview and who had identified themselves or were
recommended by someone who believed they experienced joy through their work.
Questions about the individual’s experience of joy were asked of all participants (Figure 1). The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The data were reviewed with a categorical-content approach, which is a content analysis that entails identifying categories and themes as they become apparent through data review. The themes and categories are
derived inductively from the participants’ words and phrases. Two other reviewers who compared the analysis of specific interviews validated these themes and categories.
Analyzing the stories and examples to determine common themes was the first level of interpretation.
A deeper level of analysis required hearing each participant’s interview as a story, that individual’s story of his or her experience of joy through work. This level of analysis revealed a primary theme expressed by each individual.