An exploratory study is similar to an investigatory project. It is a study that is undertaken when little is known about a subject or no information is available on how a similar problem or similar research issues have been solved in the past.
Generally it is the heavy preliminary work in investigating practically anything. It is there to acquire primary research and actually compile any and all pre-existing knowledge, albeit limited in most cases. It then seeks to establish and portray this in a coherent manner for interpretation.
In doing this it requires work interviewing those with experience and those of an expert nature, or both, in order to be both correct in terms of observations but also correct in terms of interpretation and portrayal when showing data.
Exploratory studies don't have to rely on no pre-existing information though. They can operate on old and common knowledge but pursue a new or little known direction for investigation.
This is not to be confused with exploratory research, which is for after exploratory study and further investigation and deeper understanding of pre-existing knowledge. Exploratory study seeks primary research from firsthand experience, whereas exploratory research heavily uses secondary research. It takes a longer and more detailed look at information in a way that the exploratory study couldn't, due to time constraints or to a limited breadth of interpretation.
Generally it is the heavy preliminary work in investigating practically anything. It is there to acquire primary research and actually compile any and all pre-existing knowledge, albeit limited in most cases. It then seeks to establish and portray this in a coherent manner for interpretation.
In doing this it requires work interviewing those with experience and those of an expert nature, or both, in order to be both correct in terms of observations but also correct in terms of interpretation and portrayal when showing data.
Exploratory studies don't have to rely on no pre-existing information though. They can operate on old and common knowledge but pursue a new or little known direction for investigation.
This is not to be confused with exploratory research, which is for after exploratory study and further investigation and deeper understanding of pre-existing knowledge. Exploratory study seeks primary research from firsthand experience, whereas exploratory research heavily uses secondary research. It takes a longer and more detailed look at information in a way that the exploratory study couldn't, due to time constraints or to a limited breadth of interpretation.