The open source manifesto

The challenge then for the qualitative community is to respond to this new environment, and to apply open source thinking to our techniques and approaches. We need to adapt to a world where people want to create as well as consume, and where businesses and consumers can now talk to each other without the need for traditional mediators.

I have outlined below a manifesto for the research community on how we can adapt and better connect with the needs of organisations and people. The list of suggestion is by no means exhaustive, and is intended to provide a starting point for a debate on how research can change.

1: Connect with people as 'lay' strategists

This chance to create is resonating with consumers, as we see with the growth of blogging, social networking sites such as MySpace, and the popularity of sites like YouTube – where people post their own videos and films.

As a result, research should fundamentally seek to connect with people as active creators not passive 'respondents'. Qualitative research can be seen as an opportunity to empower people to come up with their own ideas and thinking, instead of merely asking people to respond to prescribed concepts.

As the existing examples of co-creation and spontaneous innovation show, consumers have the ability to think complex issues, and to demonstrate flair and imagination. Richard Florida's work (2002) on the creative class has shown the growing number of people whose professional lives depend on creativity, and Steven Johnson (2005) has also shown how contemporary media actually improves our cognitive and creative abilities.

We should seek to facilitate as many forums where people can develop new products, design marketing and advertising campaigns, shape public and corporate policy, and provide inspiration for innovation.

2: Demonstrate recognition and naked research

We need to think more carefully about ensuring people feel a sense of recognition and even status from taking part. Part of the success of co-creative communities is that they offer people a visible opportunity to be creative and innovative, and crucially, for that contribution to be recognised.

Aside from doling out the incentives, we need to acknowledge the commitment people make when taking part in research. Why is it not a standard practice after a project to send participants a management summary of the findings, and notes on what has happened or what will happen as a result?

Showing recognition is about making research as visible as possible. Of course, issues around confidentiality often mean discretion is needed. But what makes initiatives such as Boeing World Design a success is their visibility – it is not hidden away in the murky world of viewing facilities and debrief rooms; it is an active form of communication.

3: Involve people in analysis

As part of our efforts to tap into people's creativity, we could seek to involve people in analysis. Analysis and interpretation still represents the 'black box' of research. However, opening up analysis to 'participants' offers us the chance to use and acknowledge people's creativity and contribution.

We could seek to involve people in gaining feedback on our initial thinking on research recommendations. We might consider conducting more re-convened workshops where you run your initial ideas past participants. Beyond this, we could look at setting up online forums where participants can submit comments on our initial work. Mirroring the most successful online communities such as eBay and Slashdot, we can look at how technology can be used to 'rate' the resonance of recommendations.

4: Embrace new technologies

We should also seek to listen to and engage with thematic communities. As part of our research efforts, virtual communities of brand evangelicals or detractors are likely to prove a fruitful participating group for research. Importantly, we cannot seek to build artificial thematic worlds, as if we are creating a new kind of panel. The power and authenticity of virtual communities lie in their self-organisation.

Complementing this, we can incorporate new ways of communication such as blogs into our research approaches. The pioneering work by Nick Watkins and Dr Miriam Comber (2006) on how GfKNOP used blogs to research how people buy mortgages is a brilliant example of we can mesh new ways of communicating with the hunt for insight (see also Anjali Puri, 2006). In particular, we could experiment with wikis – a website which allows users to add and edit content collaboratively – in our research projects, and indeed as a way of sharing industry-wide expertise.

5: Show the 'hidden wiring'

As part of this, we could also seek to change the way we talk about what we do and how we do it. Let's start with language – in the same way that saying 'respondent' is now a bit of a no-no, let's get rid of all the words reminiscient of a Victorian battlefield, no more 'fieldwork' and no more 'debriefs'. In addition, collaborative approaches such as workshops that bring together clients and participants in one room must become the mainstream, not the exception.

Changing our approach is about showing a bit more of the 'hidden wiring' when it comes to what we do. Company blogs are an effective way for research companies to show a more personal perspective. Firms such as Microsoft and General Motors have set up blogs to show a more human, and personal face – blogs that are written by senior leadership figures.

Microsoft's blog was inspired by a belief in how 'Channel 9' communications can overcome mistrust and detachment – a reference to how on United Airlines, pilots communicate over 'Channel 9', and listening to this calming chatter can help nervous passengers overcome anxiety. Our industry needs to seek its own 'Channel 9', in a bid to lose our detached and mysterious image.
 

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