The previous post received some interesting feedback around ‘Keywords’ as a methodology.
In response I’ll do the following two things with this post:
- Outline aspects of the Keywords research method
- Suggest ways we can use the method to organise collective intelligence
The Keywords Method
Keywords are an elegant method for making sense of a messy world.
You take a word that has cultural resonance, and then reflect upon it.
This is not about arguing over the meaning of words. Instead you explore associations. Or, to put it another way, you dive into a word’s subconscious.
Choose words that are significant, complex or controversial. Problematise them. Make them strange. Use them to open doors.
Here are a few ways to get started:
- Start with the dictionary definition
- Look at its etymology or origin
- Chart how the word has changed over time
- Explore how it is treated in fiction
- Find the psychological/philosophical discussion of the word
- Find illustrative quotations
- Use internet tools to explore the life of the word online
- Map out synonym and antonyms (these are opposite words)
- Speak with bilingual friends to explore the word in other languages
- Cross reference the use of the word in different news sites
- Search for the word in different academic journals
- Map out how different communities/subcultures understand and use the word
I get the feeling that this list could grow. Let me know if you have any other suggestions. Perhaps we can begin grouping them into different categories or define a process?
The Collective Vocabulary
When Raymond Williams defined the Keywords approach, he decided to write reflective essays.
Whilst reflective essays are a great narrative ‘form’, they don’t really fit our purpose.
We’re working towards outlining a deeply collaborative and agile methodology that moves at the speed of culture and technology.
Instead, we should think about how we can use Keywords to map our ‘collective vocabulary’. Put another way, how they help us map out a ‘cognitive territory’ — the ‘stuff’ that we can offer.
As a process, this could look like the following:
- A Keyword(s) is suggested
- A diverse group of people reflect on the word
- Each person contributes in whichever form they prefer
- All the contributions are synthesised into insight
- New Keywords emerge that can restart the process
