Clark, Andrew

Emmel, Nick

National Centre for Research Methods: NCRM EPrints Repository

Reflections on users and userinvolvement in communityresearchReal Life MethodsPart of the ESRC National Centre for Research MethodsNick Emmel and Andrew Clarkhttp://www.reallifemethods.ac.uk/research/connected/Outline• A brief overview of the research and methodsused• Reflections on three areas of user involvementin this community research:• User’s and researcher’s expectations fromresearch• The spatial and temporal scales researchers andusers work at and use research• The position of research users relative to theposition of researchersAbout the Connected Lives ResearchA methodological project exploring networks,neighbourhood and communities• What methods are appropriate for understandingnetworks, neighbourhoods, and communities? And howcan different methods be combined to create differentkinds of insights and real life accounts of networks,neighbourhoods, and communities?• How do people understand their networks,neighbourhoods, and communities? And how arenetworks, neighbourhoods, and communities built,maintained, & disembled in different contexts?What are the implications of these findings, particularlyfor considering interventions to address inequalities,community cohesion, and governance?• The traditional way in which weinvestigate networks: setting theboundaries first and networkanalysisOur method—Qualitatively-driven,mixed-method• Qualitative methods: visual,narrative, mobile, in place• Participatory approaches• Quantitative methods: secondarydata, mapsMethods & approachField diariesWalkinginterviewsWalkaboutsDiary interviewsQuantitativedata collectionParticipatorysocial mapsUnderstandingnetworks,neighbourhoodand communityHistorical datacollectionKey informanttoursKey informantinterviewsMethods & approachThe Sample• We selected the geographical area because of its richlymixed population, evidence of inequality, and other socialproblems and challenges• The sample reflects this mixed population of students /BME groups / young professionals / long-term residents• Methods for accessing hard-to-reach and sociallyexcluded individuals and groups used successfully• The importance of key-informantsImportant features of the method• A prolonged and deep engagement with people at theresearch site: residents, community leaders andactivists, voluntary and faith organisations• Interactions with local service providers in the public andvoluntary sectors throughout the research• On-going discussion and dissemination of the researchto users at local to national scales.Examples of our on-goingdissemination and user engagement• Using outputs from the research to support initiatives inthe community• Community exhibitions and policy workshop• A variety of approaches to working with research usersin different contexts and different scalesSome observation about ourengagement with users• Our aim was to promote an ongoing conversation with awide range of users of the research• Our methods were participatory, although there are limitsto the nature of that participation• We developed particular kinds of relationships withdifferent users. In understanding these we can not saythat researchers’ and users’ positions relative to theresearch fall into two distinct camps. Rather, we mightthink of these positions as fuzzyInterests and expectationsUse data to support activities/ fundingCollect data to answerresearch questionSee the researchers’ focuson them in research aslegitimising a particularproblemInterest in a particular areaand groups to answerresearch questionParticular and well definedagenda of issues to addressQuestions about particulartopic and method relatedresearch questionsUsersResearchersScaleLooking for immediate (orquick) solutionsWork over protracted time-scalesPromote particular positionsand viewpointsAim to make cautiouslytransferable (generalisable)claims from researchLocal users have particularstories to tell that relate totheir own experienceConcerned to tease outdifference / sameness inanalysisUsersResearchersPositionsUsersResearchersOften can not access theoutputs from research or usethese outputsObliged to disseminate inparticular ways by theuniversityDeal with particular problemsin practical ways everydayLook in on the researchproblemUse findings in particularways to their own ends, whichresearchers don’t controlTake a position in the ‘socialmorality plays’ we areinvestigatingSee themselves asrepresentative of particularinterests or groupsHave particular kinds ofcredibility arising from workingfor a universitySome conclusions• The relationship between researchers and users can notbe characterised as ‘ivory tower’ vs. ‘real world’. Theserelationships are much more fuzzy than that• There are places of intersection between theresearchers intent to implement methodologicallyrigorous research and users need for evidence• As researchers we recognise that these intersectionsbetween our research and users’ use of it requires thatwe do research differently. This includes applyingdifferent skills and placing strategies for userengagement at the centre of our research practice

Reflections on users and user engagement in community research

https://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/id/eprint/1102/1/connected-lives-involve-nov08.pdf

Reflections on users and user engagement in community research

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