Participatory Methods
There are many participatory methods that can be used in research, that provide more open, inclusive and creative ways to generate and collect data.
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Traditional research methods are not always designed to encourage participation, or to include people of different backgrounds and skill sets.
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Participatory methods are increasingly popular in research which involves people - they include diagramming, mapping, arts techniques, photovoice and participatory video. They often involve analysis and sometimes dissemination at the same time as data collection. There are a numerous sources available which detail and advise on the use of these kinds of methods.
Be aware that when used in a traditional research approach where the external researcher drives the process, these or any other methods do not amount to participatory research. But used within a collaborative framework, they can enable rich collective data collection, analysis and follow-up action. Nonetheless there are also examples of traditional methods being used effectively in a participatory approach, especially in recent experiments in scientific research (for example using surveys, modelling, large datasts, etc.)
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Make use of and experiment with the range of participatory methods now existing, that can help to provide more open, inclusive and creative ways to generate and collect data.
