Positionality
Knowing where we stand as researchers and designers
Research the researcher
In undergrad, research meant finding a problem statement and data supporting the solution. We were taught types of research, data collection and analysis methods — that’s the most you can expect from a two week module. When working, all research decisions revolved around time, client budget and availability of the right resource. A Masters in Service Design changed my fundamentals.
Positionality was a concept introduced to me by my professor Mafalda Moreira.
“Who am I? Where am I coming from? What are my current views and biases on this topic?” said Mafalda with her Spanish accent, moving her hands in wide gestures.
The slide showed this wheel created by Sylvia Duckworth and Mafalda put this on a Miro board, asking everyone to mark this before an assignment.
How who we are affects research
In itself, filling this wheel mirrored how we saw us. But professionally, this entirely changed my approach to starting research on any topic.
Knowing who we are or where we come from impacts so many views, decisions and the direction of research on a larger scale. Those experiences are what make the search different, but its important to be aware of them from the beginning.
For example, when working on a project to understand the financial ecosystem in Scotland, 3 members in a group had a completely different trajectory from the same data points.
One saw a gap in transportation for immigrants to access banks, he came from a city where commute was a challenge for basics.
The other wanted to work with women who were abused by their partners, she’d seen gender gaps in the family and outside limiting women while growing up.
Another empathised with homeless residents who were stuck in a loop of debt and joblessness due to poor mental health. In her past, she’d encountered multiple instances where poor mental health interfered with daily activities.
How to use this information in practice
The questions in the image above are some to start with which help with awareness.
Here are other ways I’d use this:
- Search for data by researchers who are beyond my normal reach. For example, if I’m an Indian — Asian, reading journals, articles and books from writers from other continents
- If creating a team of researchers, try that they all come from diverse backgrounds
- When collating observations, re-look at the wheel to see if the key findings have a bias that needs to be corrected
Adapting based on your project
This wheel is generic and different subjects might need other parameters to assess the researcher on. Treat principles, theories or pre made charts as starting points, not as the only maps to guide you — at least that is what has helped me.
Here’s one I adapted for my MDes Thesis
Religion, weather and food choices were points which influenced one's perspective and actions towards food.
Here’s a filled version with supporting research and my stance on each point:
Ethical considerations
Although a great tool for self reflection, this can be too personal if discussed openly. Not everyone might be comfortable talking about their religious beliefs, wealth and housing, gender, etc. Use this with that thought in mind 😊
Can you foresee how effective this little step could be in shaping how we see ourselves, what we search for and conclude findings?
