Notes on a lecture by Claire Booth, a PhD student, Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Claire is undertaking a PhD study in connection with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on the subject of Happiness and Well-Being.

Claire is a graduate in anthropology at degree level (undergraduate), and completed a Master's degree in Art and Design. She is particularly interested in how human centred design can connect. Claire's research is tying these social relations with interactive artworks to get meaningful experiences for participants.

A number of suggestions for helping to plan a research project were provided by Claire.

When considering a new artistic research project, the first stage is to try to conceptualise the project as a whole and some kind of framework needs to be constructed. In her case, she has used a number of sources that have come about since the early 80s, for example the "Happiness Turn" recognised in psychology, and the subsequent "World Happiness Report" that has been annually issued over the past few years. Indeed there is now method for General Practitioners in medicine to prescribe certain social activities that can improve happiness, known as "Social Prescribing", for their patients, such as for example to visit places like the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Another interesting source might be "The Museum of the Mind", and the Happy Museum. Also of use is "The Promise of Happiness" a book by Sara Ahmed.

The research aims:

• To study the emotional impact of visits at The Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
• Is happiness and well-being constructed at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park?
• To provide qualitative research project.

The research design:

• defines components and elements
• the site
• the stakeholders
• the focus
• the players, and resources

Within the research there will be various levels, layers and registers of experience. Claire likes to call this the multiplicities of experience.

Research methods:
moving beyond observation, you need to get more interventionist participation to measure experiences and not just behaviour. As an observing participant, but also a participant observer, Claire is performing different roles as a researcher and often feels that there is an "in between" space that she is existing in.

Much of her work is about getting people to talk more about their experiences on an individual level. The theory that she has been focusing on our for example:

• The Spell of the Sensations by David Abraham (1996) a detailed discussion on the work of Edmund Husserl and Maurice Merleau-Ponty.
• The Perception of Environment by Tim Ingold (2000) and Making (2013)
• A Single Day's Walk by John Wiley.

With regards to Claire's question of how she is carrying out research, she has looked towards the theory of "Action Research". This is a method of democratising the research process. See the book "Participation Action Research" by Cahill (2007). This provides the action research cycle, similar to the one mentioned by Alysia Grassi at the previous week' s lecture.

In considering collaborative methods, these are traditional and qualitative. For example

participatory diagramming through face-to-face interviews.
Mapping through questionnaires (hardcopy, paper version)
storytelling through online questionnaires
making activities through participant observations
journalling through activities such as workshops and walking.

The "validity" of research in all cases is based on rigourousness, reasonableness, triangulation, case analysis, referential adequacy, credibility, transfer ability, dependability, conformability (see the book by Stringer, 2010)

• Consider also the context during planning.
• Environment
• Creative research/design problem
• Define clearly who are the stakeholders.
• How can you understand their experience?
• And finally what is your own position with regard to all of the above?

Conclusions:

Again a very useful lecture by a practising artist and anthropologist, with distinct connections to some of the work that I have been exploring. The above framework of suggested sections and titles of the research process are valuable for my own essay. I need to consider these carefully and how they interrelate with my own work, aims and objectives.

Observation in Research, lecture by Alysia Grassi, University of Huddersfield, Wednesday 24th of May.

This will particularly useful lecture aimed at discussing alternative ideas in observation and using 'observation in research' practice.

The objective of all academic research in the creative arts is either qualitative or quantitative. Questions that are asked in this domain are:

• what is the observation?
• What type of observations is being performed?

Observation is concerned with what people do and how they interact. Consider it as systematic viewing, which should be done as an iterative process, and never in isolation.

When considering observation for either qualitative or quantitative research, one must be able to describe 'what it is' that is being carried out. The documentation and recording should be targeted together with the analysis, in relation to the research question, - which equally has to be adaptable.

The general difference between participant observation and that of structured observation is that participant observation is qualitative, whereas structured observation is generally quantitative.
Concerning 'participant observation', it is possible to use the Internet to mediate and record. Whereas with structured observation videography may be employed. These kinds of observational methods can be considered as both primary and secondary research, particularly for example when a video can be post-analysed.

The ethnographic technique has been used in anthropology studies for many years. It takes place with the informants responding and being observed, within their own natural habitats. In sociology, it is not only about watching human behaviour, but also through 'talking' to the informants to discover their own interpretations, through the use of direct one-to-one interviews, social media and other activities.

Key elements of observation in research include:

• living within the context that you are studying, for a long time (and in the case of sociology this can mean an immersion for greater than 18 months)
• as an observer, one needs to have participation in daily routines with the observed
• by using everyday conversation is a technique to record responses from those being observed.
• Recording observations contemporaneously, such as through audio-video recording and field notes.
• Using the tacit and explicit information in the analysis and the writing. (See DeWalt and DeWalt, 2001, and further discussion on tacit and explicit knowledge, see Michael Polyani).

When planning for observation in research, decide the position that you wish to take as an observer. This could be one of four combinations and can be best articulated through a quadrant diagram as follows;

Other things to consider are:
Time:

• observation is time-consuming!
• Manage and plan time carefully therefore
• capture and analysis of data takes patience
• spending lots of time with the subjects is also critical
• vary the times of observations, with variants through the day, through different weekdays, weekends, months and seasons.

Reasons for observational research:

• different types of data can be collected.
• There is less risk of those being observed "acting."
• it should be a two-way process, and consideration should be given continually to responses, as it helps a researcher form questions.
• It provides a wider understanding.
• Sometimes observational research is the only way.

The method of observation can, however, be subjective. The behaviour of the observer may affect what is being observed.

Proper preparation is essential. 

• It is essential to document the purpose, the role of the observer, any ethical questions and their appropriateness.
• Make sure that the recording technology is fully working, with plenty of battery time available and even backup methods to ensure a focused and fruitful period of recording.
• Make sure that any permissions that are required are properly sought and documented from any stakeholders and gatekeepers.

Try a pilot phase of recording first. The final method can then be adapted.
Once in the field, try to think about the big picture/but small detail.
Consider Spradley's nine dimensional of "How to Observe".
The general routine should be;
observe-think and reflect-observe-think and reflect-observe-think and reflect, and so on.
Consider responses concerning goals, feelings, space, actors, activities, objects, acts, events and time.

Furthermore, consider potential errors and biases. Generally speaking, errors occur through:

•  lack of understanding [usually through not enough time being devoted to the observation].
• Overfamiliarity [often occurs through having too much time].
• Drift. [This is a danger when researchers get bored or change points of view].

Biases occur, again quite often, through a lack of time.

• Preconceptions are incorrectly drawn upon. 
• There may be subjective results or even influenced.

All in all, make sure one takes detailed notes about the environment.

• The size and feel of the location, the room or environment in general. 
• What objects already reside within it? 
• What are the potential distractions for both the Observer and the observed? 
• What is the temperature in which the observations are being carried out? 
• Are there any unusual or intermittent smells or noises or other ambient disruptions?

And finally, when writing up your responses, there are some interesting lessons to be learned from 20th-century creative writers such as John Debbion and Hunter Thompson amongst others, and sources of reference can include books such as "the Rum Diaries", "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", "The Hells Angels" et cetera.

Basically, all of these observational texts are written in the first person.

Conclusions;

I found the lecture particularly engaging, but a little bit disappointed that the timing of this talk was rather late on during the schedule of the overall course, as much of its content may have been useful during our own research in previous modules of the MA study. However, I do appreciate that the lecturer may simply have not been available to provide this input at an earlier opportunity, and so I am grateful that we have been able to gain;

•  a very solid insight into some practical and field-tested methodology. 
• Much of Alissia's work and presentation showed me different ways of thinking and conducting physical / "in-vivo" research.
• It is vital to begin to analyse and measure responses, public opinion and hence value. 
•  It is essential for me to carry out such research as part of my major project.

Reflections on a guest lecture by the interactive design studio "Invisible Flock".

The following notes are taken from a really useful lecture held on Wednesday, 16 May, provided by Rich Warburton, of Invisible Flock, an interactive design studio, based in Leeds.

The intention of the studio is to embed digital design technology directly into everything that they do. Digital technology is part of the ethos of this group, and their continual question is "how can you incorporate IOT (the Internet of Things) into creative art?

The group is a cross-disciplinary practice of artists and digital media experts including a highly capable computer programmer.

An example of a current project is one called "beta" which is intended to bring business and art and technology together in artistic practice, which is based at the Leeds East Street Art Studios. Its objectives are indeed to embed technology into art practice, but at a softer level to scale up intimacy, that is, to "broadcast emotion".

The group recognised the need for human centred design, after all, it is acknowledged that all people are "actors"!

This means that digital media interactions and ultimately culture are intimately shaped by constant iteration and feedback through audience participation and reception.

One particular area that is being explored in focus at the moment is in doing work for mobile phones. These devices provide a platform "space" of new images visuality and audio.

Art can have meaning through the interruption of daily reality. It can cause a shift in perception that is unexpected. For example, in Berlin, there is an art piece constructed throughout the whole city and is found as small embedded brass tokens fixed into the pavements, the German phrase roughly translates to "stumble stones". These small but noticeable subtle symbols in a way celebrate and remind walkers about the Holocaust. It is both gentle and subtle but is incredibly poignant once a person has engaged in its exploration.

This example can be likened in many ways with the Internet, which is equally accessible but is also an interruptive exchange and experience.

There is this assumed relationship with mobile phones, in that if there is an application that has been downloaded, one of these small "apps" often used as a kind of marketing Dolly, it is apparently expected to work! However, the complexities of different types of operating systems, platforms, software dependencies, hardware versions and so on make it tough for these app developers to have total confidence in the released and published apps effectiveness.

To try and tackle this problem, Invisible Flock of developed a relationship with an Indian software house called "Quicksand", who are specifically developing ideas for mobile phones that are cross-platform and hardware independent.

An example of one of the projects that are already online which cross this boundary into cultural and creative art is called "Duet". The concept of this idea is a digital interaction between strangers, where the mobile phone short message service (SMS) network is used to conduct a year-long conversation between strangers, based on asking one specific question (anonymously of course) and getting a corresponding one answer, between participants per day for a whole year. The results are of course anonymous but are then aggregated and analysed. The need for an immediate emotional feedback loop has been recognised by the writers to keep interest and motivation of the participants to a high level.

What results is a very complex dialogue, through the prism of a simple question. In a sense, it works through illuminating relationships through disparate timescales and intervals. It's a kind of nostalgia and taps into emotion through articulations that would never exist or be there "officially". Therefore this program "Duet", and its concept of just having one question a day and one answer in total anonymity, can be very revealing about human nature. It forces the participants to engage in a dialogue that is entirely anonymous and therefore without the emotional baggage that may be pre-known. The outputs, therefore, seem to be "clean". That is they are tending to be more honest and less contrived as a reflection of intimate human thoughts in our contemporary culture.

An absorbing and stimulating lecture, I felt the presenter had engaged with a deeply sensitive and smart vehicle for exploration of not just the West or isolated cultural facets, that a thoroughly engaging method to start to view the whole global human condition.