Background: The number of published longitudinal qualitative studies has increased over the last couple of years. However, there is no consensus in how longitudinal analysis should be conducted or presented. Overall, little literature about the procedures of doing qualitative longitudinal analysis has been published. The aim of this presentation is to describe a procedure for conducting longitudinal qualitative analysis (e.g., a pattern oriented approach).

Method: Independently of each other the two authors have developed a similar approach to analyze interview data over time. The two individual analyses have been compared and common features identified.

Results: A pattern-oriented analysis focuses upon how individuals (or phenomena) move through a process/time in identifiable patterns. When other longitudinal analysis approaches might emphasize a main process, a pattern-oriented approach accounts for the individual variance in the context of time and change. The key features of the analysis procedure include; ‘identifying the process’, ‘summarized description’ and ‘using matrixes’.

Conclusion: A pattern-oriented analysis is a fruitful way of viewing ways of changing over time and thus understanding complex life processes.