Researcher introspection

The text Researcher introspection for experience- driven design research by Haian Xue and Pieter M. A. Desmet changed the way I look at research and my own practise. The text goes into depth on introspection as a research method for gathering data on wide groups of people. However, I am only going to focus on the ‘researcher-introspection’ (the subject and researcher being the same person) as its relevant to my practise. Researcher introspection can be defined as the “process of tracking, experiencing, and reflecting on one’s own thoughts, mental images, feelings, sensations, and behaviours.”¹ By applying this type of research method I can better understand my work and practise. As well as creating avenues of research as I create. I often find it difficult to do contextual research about my practise when the work I’m creating is the context. By making something new I am able to build off of those ideas and continue forward.

It will be exciting to see where this leads. I think it’s safe to acknowledge that this research will be filled with my own bias’ as they make up who I am and why I make the decisions I make. In saying that only the relevant bias’ that affect the creative process will be documented in this research.

According to Xue and Desmet researcher introspection can be broken up into three distinct types, “retrospectively, contemporaneously, and as a projection into a hypothetical future.”² Retrospectively refers to looking back on something that happened in the past. As memory fades over time this is consider the least reliable of the three types. In saying that it can be useful when dealing with past emotions or nostalgia. Contemporaneously refers to something that is happening actively. The introspection or reflection is happening almost simultaneously to the research. In to the future or imaginary introspection is hypothetical reflection on fantasy situations or narrative.³ I like to use this third type of introspection as a way of imaging the wildest things I could create if my technique and materials weren’t subject to any rules or gravity.

¹ Haian Xue and Pieter M. A. Desmet, “Researcher introspection for experience-driven design research,” Design Studies 63, (16 April 2019): 37, ScienceDirect.

² Ibid, 53.

³ Ibid, 53 – 56.