Contextual narrative
Rethinking communication
in context of our professions
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Anecdotes and narrative
Characteristics:
• Naturally-occurring
• Relatively brief
• About a single incident
• Simple recounting
• Without analysis or opinion
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

The Cynefin Framework
COMPLEX COMPLICATED
* Cause and effect are
* Cause and effect are
coherent only in
separated Over time and
retrospect, And are
space; researchable
unpredictable
* Analytical/reductionst
* Pattern management
* Scenario planning
* Perspective filters
* Systems thinking
* Complex adaptive
systems
* Cause and effect relations
* No cause and effect repeatable, perceivable
relationships are and predictable
perceivable * Legitimate best practice
* Stability-focused * Standard operating
intervention procedures
* Enactment tools * Process re-engineering
* Crisis management
CHAOS SIMPLE
Cynefin framework from Kurtz, C.F. and Snowden, D.J. “The new dynamics of strategy”, IBM Systems Journal, September 2003.
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Thought processes
We don’t generally process information
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-Time
We process patterns
• Check against existing patterns (context)
• Know when we need to know (just in time)
• Recount and recall (patterned narrative)
• Akeelah and the Bee
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Sense-making
Goal is to make sense of the world so we can
act in it
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Knowing – telling - codifying
We don’t always know how much we know
We always know more than we tell
We always tell more than we write
The paradox of truth
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

The role of narrative
Contextual narratives are memorable
Patterns are laid in early in childhood
Narrative models include:
• Fairy tales
• Folklore
• Metaphor
• Indirect storytelling
• Ditting (“one-upping”)
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Narrative for problem-solving
What people say they want isn’t what their
behavior bears out
Need to get out of your comfort zone to
effect change
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Potential roles for narrative
Requirements gathering
• Removing expert bias
• Rich data collection
User support material
• Prompting questions
• Patterning
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.

Contact info
More information:
www.cognitive-edge.com
Presenter contact info:
Rahel Anne Bailie
rabailie@StrategyA.ca
604-696-1993
© 2007 Strategy A Consulting Group, Inc.