The paper includes a brief historical background on CAQDAS. Some of the early computer programs in qualitative research such as Ethnograph, MAXQDA, NVivo, ATLAS.ti and NUD.IST as well as their latest versions were discussed. The development of the functions and features of majority of CAQDAS programs and how they change the way researchers deal with qualitative data were also presented. Common features of these software packages are centered on the coding as the most fundamental key strategy in qualitative research. In a CAQDAS program, code hierarchies, annotations, writing memos and data exploration can now be done electronically in easy, fast-paced and accurate manner. Despite of a number of advantages in using the software packages, the research article enumerated some vital concerns and criticism about CAQDAS. This part is more focused in this review with conceptual discussions on issues that include (1) diversity of CAQDAS software programs, (2) misconceptions that the software alone can do the analysis, (3) the ownership of the data or its proximity to the researcher, (4) over reliance on the software, (5) the way researchers present their study using CAQDAS, (6) methodological bias leaning on grounded theory, (7) lack of recognition from experts and practitioners, (8) familiarity and technical readiness in using a software of this kind, and (9) the cost and commercialization of CAQDAS programs. In the discussion, precautionary reminders in using the technology was included. In conclusion, manual coding is still irreplaceable while technology such as CAQDAS is considered an add-on to aid and help in the burdensome work of a qualitative researcher. The research work was conducted with the objectives to find the intricacies faced by students, research practitioners and professionals during their research and to suggest the best software alternatives for each category of problems faced by them, based on expected characteristics. The study is intended to help researchers from diverse fields, especially those not belonging to information technology and its allied background. This study was pursued by the researcher collecting firsthand information for primary data through a face-to face interview of students, research practitioners and professionals from diverse fields using a structured open ended questionnaire querying about the intricacies faced by them during their research and the characteristics expected by them in the software aiding in research. The analysis is performed in three stages at the first stage the researcher performs thematic textual analysis on the responses to the questionnaire, short listing the intricacies faced by researchers during their research and the characteristics expected by them in the software aiding in research. Secondly, a keyword search is performed on the shortlisted intricacies to find the categories of software required to aid the researchers for each type of problem faced by them and then find software alternatives for each category of software along with a brief functional minutiae. Finally the researcher conducts a thorough study of the related literature, websites, brochure of software companies as well as their products and services and also applies observation and application method examining the various short listed software alternatives for each category based on expected characteristics to suggests the best software alternatives for each category of intricacies faced by researchers.
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