Good Conversations - a new model for qualtiative research' presented to AQR, 2.11.07

for AQR by Kevin McLean

GoodGood Conversations ..Conversations ..

.. a New Model for .. a New Model for Qualitative ResearchQualitative Research

www.wardlemclean.co.uk www.theartofconversation.net

Introduction

• Acknowledge

• Challenge

Introduction

• Recognise / refine our skills

• Raise our status

via ‘conversations’

What do you say is

a good conversation?

Group discussions vs dinner parties

• Conversational values:– Commitment – Participation– Listening– Interest– Honesty– Respect– …

Menu

1. Conversations and QR

2. Schools of thought

3. Brands and marketing

4. Onwards and upwards

1. Conversations and QR

• Good qualitative research, good conversations?

• Pulls towards questions and answers

Conversations

OpenMap on to networks

RapportEquals

Liberating

Creative

Q & A

ClosedImpose a structure

AlienatePower relationsDisempowering

Kills creativity

Conversations

Rich, rewarding

Space, freedom

Lead somewhere

Yield truths

Trust

Q & A

Frustrating

Confined

Start and finish

Encourage lies

No Trust

Therefore

• More insight from better conversations

• But that’s not all …

2. Schools of Thought

• History

• Biology

• Philosophy

A (very) short history of conversations

In the beginning

• Voiced utterance, plus gestures

• Physical, social context (grooming)

• Conversations are what make us human

– and are not only verbal

• We are essentially social beings

The birth of jazz

© Larson

Conversations change history

Conversations change history

• The French salons– emergence of the novel

• London coffee houses– Stock Exchange, Lloyds

insurance etc

Conversations change history

‘(Crick) asked naïve questions .. in order to understand things. Conversations yielded new insights’ Theodore Zeldin

What do we mean by conversation?

• Familiar/informal talk

• Manner of behaving in the world

• Turn about constantly, change

Focus groups Fist fightsPoems

Hunger pangs Meetings

Brands

PrayerTrust

FrowningRacing

Democracy

Climate change

Blogs

.. are all ‘conversations’

Kissing

Arguing

Colonialism

Attitudes Habits

Attitudes

– inside– measurable– immutable– ours

– made up, made to order

– adapted/adopted– life of their own– shared

3. Brands and marketing

Welcome to the revolution!

1950s today

Mark

ets

are

con

vers

ati

on

s

Before:

Brands

Consumers

Now:

People Brands

‘Commerce is increasingly going to shift away from older forms of communication … towards something that resembles a real conversation.’

James Surowiecki, author, ‘Wisdom of the Crowds’

Brands

• Are not things

• Derive from two networks– internal network

– external network

Brands on the internal network

THE EXTERNAL NETWORK

1 2

3 4

4. Onwards and upwards

• Good conversations take us all forward

• Stuck within our comfort zones?– Hocus pocus groups

• More productive methods … conversations that matter

Onwards and upwards• Digital revolution

• Conversations with less agenda– Hosting, open space facilitation

• if you are not learning or contributing, go to somewhere you are

Onwards and upwards‘real conversations are humanity’s profoundest invention … the web invites us to … do something with that connection (to make) a difference ... in our world’

Chris Corrigan, Art of Conversations

www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot

TO GOOD CONVERSATIONS!

Thanks for listening