I
have recently been drawn into an online debate on the topic of DIY research and
it has reminded me of one of my favourite dramas from the 1980s (yes, I’m that
old). It was a series written by Alan
Bleasdale called Boys from the Blackstuff.
In the most memorable episode, a main character (Yosser Hughes, played superbly
by Bernard Hill), rampages around the streets of Liverpool asking unsuspecting
workers to give him a job.
At
one point he follows a council groundsman trying to draw white lines around a
football pitch. As Yosser becomes more
manic the white lines become more jagged with the workman becoming more and
more nervous as Yosser taunts him menacingly saying, ‘Gizzajob mate, I can draw lines, go on, gizzajob.’
This
particular drama came to mind, not just because it is a particular favourite
but also because I think there are parallels to be drawn with running groups
and indeed with qualitative research as a whole.
And
one of the key points surrounding this, I feel, is that sometimes as
qualitative researchers, we can become the victims of our own success. We run groups and conduct interviews so well
that at times it probably looks as easy as drawing a straight white line along
a football pitch.
This
in itself of course ignores the fact that, as I have found to my cost, drawing
a straight line along a football pitch is no mean feat. And whilst Yosser might have felt himself
well equipped to draw the lines, one wonders how he might have coped with other
aspects of this particular groundsman’s role, such as perhaps looking after the
pitches in general, cleaning out the changing rooms, being available all
weekend to open up, clean up, close up etc.
By
the same token, observers at groups might also be forgiven for not considering
what has preceded the group in terms of designing a topic guide, recruiting the
‘right’ people, designing the project as whole.
They might also fail to acknowledge that this running of the group is
just one part of the qualitative process, which will later involve analysis of
what has taken place in the group and the crucial aspect of interpreting just
what has been said and how it has been said.
Then the writing of a document and delivering a debrief, with strong
conclusions and actionable recommendations.
Just
like Yosser then, the danger is that an observer at a group sees what they want
to see – great respondents (‘weren’t you lucky they were such a good bunch’), a
discussion which flows (‘wasn’t that fortunate how you were able to bring that
topic into play at that particular time’) and a group that bonds (‘it was great
how they all felt able to say what they thought but they listened to each other
as well’).
I’m
not suggesting that all of the groups I have run have followed this particular
pattern but when they have done so the result has been that some observers have
suggested that what I did was easy and that how I did it was perhaps something
they could do for themselves.
And
there’s the rub – when we make things look easy we lay ourselves open to the
likes of Yosser suggesting he too could do it himself.
So
what’s the answer here? I’m not
suggesting we over-dramatise what we do (although I’ve seen many a qualitative
researcher in action who already does just that) because that might suggest we
protest too much. But what I am saying
is that we need to try and put across to people that there’s a lot more to
qualitative research and running groups than turning up, having a chat with a
few people and going home.
And
what I’m also saying is that the more we educate clients and potential clients
along these lines, then the less likely it is that they will ‘do a Yosser’ on
us. Surely no-one wants that!
