Gathering data

Leading Libraries Series: Leading for Innovation

Inquiry and reflection

Gathering data: Innovation research methods

This module focuses on the two stages of the Discovery phase of our innovation cycle – Inquire and Reflect. Watch this 33 minute video

Using inquiry and reflection to generate new insights

First some definitions to clarify what we mean by inquire and reflect.

Inquire: Gathering qualitative and quantitative data, and developing breakthrough questions

Reflect: Gathering inspiration and insights, identifying needs, synthesising findings

This phase of our work is designed to support the analytical side of our innovation approach – the elements which help us discover new knowledge and perspectives in order to identify opportunities, challenges and actionable insights.

A green triangle sits in the centre at the bottom of the image inside the triangle at the bottom is the image of a city skyline with ‘people, systems, interactions’ written underneath. Inside the triangle at the top if a microscope under which is written ‘Research, questions, assumptions’. Above the microscope is the centre of a bracket, the left branch leads to ‘INSIGHTS new knowledge / new perspectives’ and the right branch leads to ‘IDEAS new realities / new possibilities’. The left branch is labelled ‘DATA’ and underneath the bracket are the words ‘system mapping’ and ‘ethnography’. A bracket with dotted lines sits to the left from top to bottom labelled ‘analytical what we are discovering’. The right branch is labelled ‘INSPIRATION’ and underneath the bracket are the words ‘horizon scan’, ‘co-design’ and ‘innovation challenges’. A bracket with dotted lines sits to the right from top to bottom labelled ‘generative what reality could be like’. At the top a two-headed dotted arrow joins the words ‘INSIGHTS’ and ‘IDEAS’ above which are the following labels ‘opportunities and challenges’, ‘actionable insights’, ‘design principles’ and ‘vision’.

There are a wide range of inquiry methods we can use to build our understanding of the context we wish to innovate in and the people we want to innovate for. These methods are usually broken down into three different areas:

'lived experience' research (these approaches are called 'ethnography' in Design Thinking)
data and process mapping
horizon scanning.

Qualitative inquiry methods for Discovery

On the left is an image of a clipboard and a pen labelled ‘Ethnographic research’, under this is an icon of a circle with a person in the middle surrounded by 5 empty circles joined by lines labelled ‘Data/process mapping’ and below this is an image of some binoculars labelled ‘Horizon scanning’. Each of these icons joins by an arrow to an image of an organisational chart labelled ‘Synthesis’. An arrow joins ‘Synthesis’ to an image three people sat at a table labelled ‘Co-design’

Once we have gathered the data we need in order to identify opportunities and insights, we can move into our Reflect stage – telling our stories of what we have learned to others and identifying the areas we want to take forward into the Creation phase.

Setting a scope for your innovation cycle

In the Innovation Cycle module, we asked you to create a 'Strengths-based Vision' for your innovation. Before you begin the Discovery phase of your innovation cycle, it's a good idea to set and articulate a 'scope' for your work in this cycle.

When we have an inspiring vision, it's very easy to set off thinking we can innovate for everything that is covered by that vision but that puts us at risk of trying to 'boil the ocean'! We bite off more than we can chew and, when we try to engage others, our message is too vague and all encompassing. A good scoping process helps us define the 'what?', 'who?' and 'what for?' to go with the compelling 'why?' that our vision gives us.

A text box on the left reads: A ‘scope’ is a boundary we set on our attention (for a project, an inquiry, a piece of research etc) A well-defined scope acts as an enabling constraint. On the right a chevron point downwards is labelled 'What' next to which is written - A broad statement of the change we want to see - Gives us FOCUS. Below is another chevron pointing down labelled 'Who' next to which it reads - A clear sense of who we want to benefit - Give us EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT. One final chevron sits below 'Who' labelled 'Why' next to which it reads - A felt expression of what is important about this - Gives us MOTIVATION

Consider the three questions below to help you define the scope of what you want to tackle in this innovation cycle – our advice is to start small, stay concrete and keep it simple for now. Innovation proceeds in cycles and you can always expand your scope in the next iteration.

What is the focus of your innovation project? Describe the change you want to see in one or two sentences.
What is going to benefit from your project? How do you want them to feel about the work?
Why does this innovation feel important to you personally? What matters about it – for you, for your stakeholders or for the wider system?

Pause for reflection

Reflect on how you are feeling about your innovation challenge as you head off on your journey.

Do you know what the scope of your innovation is? If so, remind yourself here of the who, what and why of your scope.

Is your focus area clear enough to get started? If so, articulate it in 1-3 sentences here.

Do you feel that there are exciting opportunities to make a difference here? If so, say something about those opportunities here – get yourself inspired!

Do you know who you want to involve in the process and have you begun to get them engaged? If so, make a list of those people here and make a plan to talk to them before you begin your Inquiry stage.

Are you raring to go?! If not, what else do you need to help you get started?

If your answer to any of the questions about is 'no, not really', you might want to go back to some of the content in the first Leading for innovation module titled 'The innovation cycle' to make sure you are really ready to begin on your challenge.

The rest of this module will guide you through the tools and methods which you can use in your Inquire and Reflect stages, beginning with the development of a Breakthrough Question to guide your efforts.

Continue to: Breakthrough questions

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