Final answer:
The car dealership researcher was creating a customer journey map, a qualitative method involving in-depth interviews and capturing the customer's experiences throughout the buying process. It's a form of field research that provides insights into the customer's perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The car dealership researcher conducting an in-depth interview with Maria Jones and creating a graphic diagram of what she was doing, thinking, and feeling during each stage of the buying process is creating a customer journey map. This method is a qualitative approach to understanding the customer's experience and involves gathering information from customers and other stakeholders through direct research methods, such as interviews. The process is similar to conducting field research, where direct observations and data collection occur in the real-world environment of the subject.
During field research, researchers engage in interviewing and taking notes that support their findings. It allows the researcher to generate original data and acquire knowledge through personal observations. A customer journey map specifically provides insights into the customer's perspective, offering a step-by-step account of their experiences and emotions throughout the buying process.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question about what the dealership researcher was undertaking is e) creating a customer journey map.