Grounded helps researchers code transcripts, develop focused codes, build theoretical categories, and write the memos that turn raw interviews into grounded theory.
Grounded is currently invite-only while we work closely with our first cohort of researchers.Most coding tools are generic and methodology-agnostic. Grounded is different. It is purpose-built for Kathy Charmaz's Constructivist Grounded Theory — the workflow, the prompts, and even the default sort order are designed to keep you in constant comparison and moving toward theory.
Every feature maps to a real step in the grounded theory process — nothing more, nothing less.
Upload interviews in VTT format and let Grounded split them into speaker-attributed segments, ready to code.
Apply codes directly to the text with customizable colors, so patterns become visible the moment you create them.
Move from gerund-oriented initial codes to focused codes with a workflow that mirrors the method, not fights it.
Build provisional categories with properties and dimensional ranges, each backed by evidence from your codes.
Set codes side by side to compare their segments and co-occurrences — the core analytic move, made effortless.
Attach analytic memos to codes, focused codes, and categories, with version history that preserves your thinking.
Flag the quotes that matter with distinct bold-and-underlined styling, so significant excerpts never get lost.
Generate codebook snapshots, coding-progression timelines, and episode-distribution charts — then export them.
Invite colleagues with Owner, Editor, or Viewer roles and share one evolving codebook across the team.
Grounded encodes the discipline of Constructivist Grounded Theory into the interface itself.
Comparison views surface similarities and differences between codes, segments, and incidents.
Elevate your most analytically resonant initial codes into focused codes as a deliberate step.
Memoing is treated as the engine of analysis, not an afterthought tucked into a sidebar.
Codes and segments are shuffled to reduce researcher bias and resist premature pattern-locking.
Guidance throughout encourages process codes — capturing action, not static topics.
Workflow status and memo history document how your interpretations evolved over time.
Grounded fits solo projects and small teams alike — wherever rigorous qualitative analysis happens.
When Grounded opens beyond beta, it will be affordably priced for students and solo researchers — with a free tier to get started and room to grow as your studies do.
We're onboarding a small group of researchers and refining the tool with their feedback. Grounded is a product of SWGY, Inc.
Visit SWGY, Inc.