What is narrative patterns catalysis?
Often people use collected stories (and answers to questions about them) in sensemaking sessions where they ask people (the storytellers or others) to interpret the stories and answers on their own. However, it is also helpful in some projects to have an outsider who is experienced in looking at narrative patterns – but critically, naìˆve with respect to the subject matter of the project – highlight some trends to stimulate sensemaking. This is where I come in. I take all of your collected data and “converse” with it, looking for interesting or surprising patterns that might be helpful to you given the goals of your project. To look at qualitative patterns I use the methods of grounded theory (where patterns emerge from “soaking up” data). If quantitative data (groups of answers to questions) are available I combine visual and statistical comparisons with the qualitative element. The end result is a catalysis report.
