Call for Proposals

Are you navigating the new era of qualitative research, thinking through AI changes, practicing new approaches, or shaping strategy for what's ahead? We want to hear from you.

QRCA invites proposals for Qual Tech Days 2026: New Era, Bigger Questions, a three-day

virtual conference exploring how qualitative research is evolving in the AI era. This year's theme is intentionally broad: with AI, essentially everything is new.

We're seeking:

• Speakers and presentations, including thought leaders from outside the field

• Sponsor Spotlight Sessions (brief capability demonstrations)

• Conversations with clients

• Interactive breakouts and networking discussions

• Quant partner perspectives

• Something fun - we love a session that brings a bit of levity!

Day 1: New Thinking

Mindset, reframing, and what's shifting at a conceptual level

We're looking for sessions that tackle the bigger questions: What remains uniquely human in

qualitative research? How are researchers rethinking their roles?

Topics of interest include:

• Human meaning in an AI world: what grounds interpretation when AI is synthesizing?

• The new hybrid researcher: researcher, strategist, technologist

• Designing the future of qual: ethics, human-centered AI design, new methodologies

• The AI capability gap: where human insight still matters most

• The Agentic Era: ethics and identity for qualitative researchers

• What clients are looking for in an AI-enabled research world

Day 2: New Practices

Approaches, methodologies, and day-to-day craft

Day 2 is about the work itself - the tools, workflows, and honest takes on what's working (and what isn't).

Topics of interest include:

• AI and new tech in project management and recruiting

• AI moderation: what works, what doesn't cross async and live formats

• AI in discovery and analysis: strengths, watch-outs, and how to verify outputs

• Simulated respondents: creation, maintenance, and role in exploratory thinking

• The evolving insights career: looking for 3 early career professionals for a panel discussion

Day 3: New Strategies

Opportunities and the path forward

The final day zooms out to look at how we position ourselves strategically, lead rather than react, and define what qual looks like in the years ahead.

Topics of interest include:

• Getting ahead of AI: leading the agentic shift rather than reacting to it

• New approaches to positioning and winning work

• New service models and ways to help clients navigate the new era

• Quantitative perspectives on qualitative research; qual-quant integration

• Future Visioning: interactive session on where qual goes next

Key Dates

• Deadline to submit proposals April 30, 2026

• Speakers notified of selection Mid-May 2026

• Introduction to your QRCA Speaker Coach Late May 2026

• First draft of presentation due to Speaker Coach Mid-June 2026

• Final presentation due Late June 2026

• Qual Tech Days 2026! July 21–23, 2026

Submission Must Include

• Draft title and session description

• What makes you an expert speaker on this topic?

• Speaker bio(s) and LinkedIn handle(s)

• Proposed format and preferred session length (most presentations: 30 min, ideally 20 min +

10 min Q&A)

Ready to help shape the conversation? Submit your proposal today!

Questions? Contact Cassie Wesener at CassieW@qrca.org

Note: This call for proposals represents anticipated topic areas and does not guarantee any given topic will be represented in the final program.