Rethinking
It’s time to rethink the direction of my findings. I’ve been looking at things one way and now it’s time to refocus and rethink from a different perspective. That’s what putting your work out into the world will do for you when you are a researcher. Just when you think you have a handle on what’s going on, and how to make sense of it all, someone comes along and derails your thinking … in a good way! That is what has just happened for me.
I have spent time immersed in the research, since completing the interviews and reviewed the transcripts. I thought I had a handle on things, with an early concept map and graphic rendering drawn up to guide me through the writeup of the findings. Well that hit a roadblock, with the honest and open feedback from a critical friend. As I look at what I had created, I shake my head and smile. What was I thinking?
When I put multiple metaphors into one image, there is bound to be conflict. The imagery of water, books, and electricity don’t go together in real life, so should not be combined in this research graphic rendering.
When I look at the graphic from their perspective, I can see what they see and I realize and know deep down that I have some serious rethinking to do. This is a moment not so much about going back to the drawing board, or throwing everything out, but more of a moment to break apart the building blocks I’ve been using one way, and recreate things a different way. Better now than months from now! Time to get back to work and make this all make sense.
