A presentation by Kevin McLean, Wardle McLean, UK Conversations .. .. a New Model for Qualitative Research www.wardlemclean.co.uk www.theartofconversation.net

Introduction We are part of something bigger than we realise Reframe qualitative research Recognise our skills , raise our status via ‘conversations’

We are part of something bigger than we realise

Reframe qualitative research

Recognise our skills , raise our status

via ‘conversations’

Introduction Focus groups Fist fights Poems Brainwaves Hunger pangs Meetings Brands Prayer Indecision Trust Frowning Racing Democracy Climate change Blogs .. are all ‘conversations’ Kissing Arguing Colonialism

Focus groups

Introduction What would you call a good conversation ?

What would you call

a good conversation ?

Structure 1. A short history of conversations 2. Communication and attitudes 3. Brands and marketing

1. A short history of conversations

2. Communication and attitudes

3. Brands and marketing

1. A short history of conversations

In the (very) beginning The very first conversation was ...? ‘ John, how’d you do that fire thing, again’ ?

The very first conversation was ...?

In the (very) beginning Voiced utterance, plus gestures Physical , social context (grooming)

Voiced utterance, plus gestures

Physical , social context (grooming)

In the (very) beginning The birth of jazz © Larson Origin Usage

Therefore... Conversations are what make us human Conversations are not only verbal We are essentially social beings

Conversations are what make us human

Conversations are not only verbal

We are essentially social beings

Therefore... We learn through imitation … … interacting with others

We learn through imitation …

… interacting with others

Learning through conversation Socrates (469 - 399 BC) Dialogues: ‘ extended conversations ... aimed at understanding ... through a dialectical method’ Still relevant today: - democracy / free market - debate choices - question producers and politicians

Socrates (469 - 399 BC)

Dialogues:

‘ extended conversations ... aimed at understanding ... through a dialectical method’

Still relevant today:

- democracy / free market

- debate choices

- question producers and politicians

Learning through conversation Socrates, the first QRC? going further for less

Learning through conversation Beware the barrenness of a busy life We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is a habit Wisdom begins in wonder (Socrates)

Beware the barrenness of a busy life

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is a habit

Wisdom begins in wonder

(Socrates)

Conversations that changed history The Earth is flat The universe revolves around the Earth Europe / USA rules the world

The Earth is flat

The universe revolves around the Earth

Europe / USA rules the world

Conversations that changed history Crick and Watson discovered DNA via conversations Linus Pauling tried to figure it all out ‘ Because Pauling was so smart, he didn’t feel the need to talk to anyone’ (Watson)

Crick and Watson discovered DNA via conversations

Linus Pauling tried to figure it all out

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

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

2. Communication and attitudes Three kinds of language: representational structural immediate

Three kinds of language:

representational

structural

immediate

Communication Representational dominant over-reliant misleading

Representational

dominant

over-reliant

misleading

Communication Structural body-to-body comes first under-estimated

Structural

body-to-body

comes first

under-estimated

Communication Immediate basic/powerful pure emotion/feeling

Immediate

basic/powerful

pure emotion/feeling

Communication “ 93% of all communication is non-verbal” AGREE / DISAGREE? It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it

“ 93% of all communication is non-verbal”

AGREE / DISAGREE?

It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it

Attitudes ‘ What is your attitude to ..?’ Attitudes as: inside us observable measurable immutable ‘ ours’

‘ What is your attitude to ..?’

Attitudes as:

inside us

observable

measurable

immutable

‘ ours’

Attitudes Do you have attitudes .. .. or do attitudes have you ?

Do you have attitudes ..

.. or do attitudes have you ?

Attitudes Attitudes as: made up, made to order adapted/adopted having a life of their own part of a conversation

Attitudes as:

made up, made to order

adapted/adopted

having a life of their own

part of a conversation

Conclusion Three kinds of language... representational structural immediate … are connected, all part of our conversation

Three kinds of language...

representational

structural

immediate

… are connected, all part of our conversation

Conclusion We know ourselves, our beliefs, through conversation ‘ Quallies’ are trained in the art of conversation we can truly get to know people if we practise good conversation

We know ourselves, our beliefs, through conversation

‘ Quallies’ are trained in the art of conversation

we can truly get to know people

if we practise good conversation

Part 3. Brands and marketing Welcome to the revolution! 1950s today

Welcome to the revolution!

Markets are conversations

Before : Brands Consumers

Before :

Brands

Consumers

Now : People Brands

‘ Commercial conversations’ Market research … has traditionally been about figuring out how to get customers to buy what businesses want to make, rather than helping businesses to make what customers want to buy. Commerce is going to increasingly shift away from older forms of communication … towards something that resembles a real conversation. James Surowiecki, author, ‘Wisdom of the Crowds’

About brands Brands are not things They are constructed from two kinds of networks internal network external network

Brands are not things

They are constructed from two kinds of networks

internal network

external network

Brands on the internal network

Brands on the internal network

one neuron LOTS of neurons

A challenge to us all? ‘ Neuromarketing’ brain scans are the answer Professor Zaltman my way or the highway

‘ Neuromarketing’

brain scans are the answer

Professor Zaltman

my way or the highway

A professor speaks ‘ How Customers Think : Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market’ ‘ Technology is revolutionizing our ability to understand customers. Insights about the workings of the cognitive unconscious ... and the neurobiology of figurative thinking, for instance, have already outdated most thinking and current practices’ ie focus groups are redundant / do not work

‘ How Customers Think : Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market’

‘ Technology is revolutionizing our ability to understand customers. Insights about the workings of the cognitive unconscious ... and the neurobiology of figurative thinking, for instance, have already outdated most thinking and current practices’

ie focus groups are redundant / do not work

Au contraire , professor ‘ Herd - how to change mass behaviour by harnessing our true nature’ by Mark Earls (pub. Wiley, Feb 07) behaviour NOT reducible to brains / our unconscious but is socially determined

‘ Herd - how to change mass behaviour by harnessing our true nature’

by Mark Earls (pub. Wiley, Feb 07)

behaviour NOT reducible to brains / our unconscious but is socially determined

not just brains, our nervous system

1 2 3 4

EXTERNAL (SOCIAL) NETWORK IN ACTION

The point is Conversations are within us and between us mental / physical, personal / social Qualitative research can tap into them when it is done well inside and (especially) outside the studio

Conversations are

within us and between us

mental / physical, personal / social

Qualitative research can tap into them

when it is done well

inside and (especially) outside the studio

And.. We know that what people say differs from what they do there are no guarantees good conversations take us all forward not just verbal (physical, emotional) not just in studios (out there) not just Questions and Answers Too often we have done average work, which holds us back

We know that what people say differs from what they do

there are no guarantees

good conversations take us all forward

not just verbal (physical, emotional)

not just in studios (out there)

not just Questions and Answers

Too often we have done average work, which holds us back

Grand conclusions Conversations Open Map on to networks Build rapport Between equals Liberating Q & A Close Impose a structure Hinder, alienate Power relations Disempowering Q & A Close Impose a structure Hinder, alienate Power relations Disempowering

Conversations

Open

Map on to networks

Build rapport

Between equals

Liberating

Q & A

Close

Impose a structure

Hinder, alienate

Power relations

Disempowering

Grand conclusions Conversations Rich, rewarding Space, freedom Lead somewhere Yield truths Q & A Confined, frustrating Forced, feel trapped Start and finish Encourage lies

Conversations

Rich, rewarding

Space, freedom

Lead somewhere

Yield truths

Q & A

Confined, frustrating

Forced, feel trapped

Start and finish

Encourage lies

By Kevin McLean [email_address] www.wardlemclean.co.uk www.theartofconversation.net TO GOOD CONVERSATIONS!