Method —
Prep
- Get investigative, you need to
puzzle together lots of pieces! - Scour the data for both – consent
and dissent. - Open your mind to direct & indirect connections.
- Don’t dismiss anything, little details
could be hiding important insights.
The vast and open field, variables galore. The data surrounds, upfront now and then, at most times hiding behind closed doors. We walk in and around it, all eyes and ears. Soft steps, a gentle presence, silent movements. A fine gaze piercing through the scenes, teasing out what we must.
When
Post data collection, when you are looking at organising the data for sense-making to start taking place.
Why
- Organise the primary or secondary data collected
- Address the differing perceptions and inconsistencies in data, rather than sideline them
- Plot the data in a way that reveals incongruities and contradictions
- Further the study and yield the not-so-obvious directions
Research can get paralysed if data is treated with bias. Research projects, in their bid to find all pervasive insights and ‘singular truths’, often end up accepting confirmatory data and negating contradictory data. These contradictions are critical to record. They are key to uncovering unique insights pertaining to the research field. This tool encourages researchers to take cognizance of conflicts and contradictions that emerge in field data by providing a format that creates space to record them.
Look & Learn
Take a look at the accompanying case study to understand how to scour for zones of conflict and convergence within the data collected. The sample worksheet in the case study contains the basic instructions for you to get going.
Download & Use
Feel free to download and print the attached worksheet for your use.
Improvise & Adapt