An Examination of Knowledge and Effective Use of Mixed Methods in Engineering Practice

This study examines the current state of industry practice in engineering professionals’ use and value of mixed-methods, with a focus on how organizations integrate qualitative and quantitative data to support decision-making. As industrial systems become increasingly complex, engineering managers and professionals face challenges that extend beyond technical performance metrics to include human behavior, organizational culture, and contextual constraints. Mixed-methods offer a structured approach for addressing these multidimensional problems by combining numerical data with experiential and descriptive insights. Using survey data from 30 practicing industrial engineering professionals and interview data from a subset of 12 of the survey respondents, this study explores industry familiarity with qualitative and mixed-methods approaches, usage and degree of application. The findings indicate that industry professionals including engineering managers frequently rely on quantitative data as a primary decision foundation, while qualitative methods are often employed to contextualize, interpret, or explain quantitative outcomes in engineering practices. Despite recognizing the value of mixed-methods, participants report notable challenges, including limited formal training in qualitative techniques, methodological rigor, and difficulties integrating heterogeneous data sources. This study highlights a gap between the acknowledged value of mixed-methods and the depth of their execution in engineering practices. These findings may inform the practice of engineering management by offering insight into knowledge and use of mixed-methods by engineers in the workplace, and the perceived need of engineering professionals to learn qualitative methods for improved workforce readiness and enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration.