Author Archives: Simon Riley

“Growth mindset”: praising process, not intelligence

This is a neat little 10 minute talk by Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford in the US (http://mindsetonline.com/abouttheauthor/), explaining the simple but powerful idea of the “growth mindset” for learning. The basic idea, based on real life study results, is that pupils with a “growth” mindset about their abilities ultimately out-perform and becomeContinue reading ““Growth mindset”: praising process, not intelligence”

Machine learning and the future of human-shaped qual

Doing some research on this soon and it’s pretty new to me. Here’s an interesting article that explains the basics for anyone interested: Tech Crunch: machine learning I’m pretty confident it will be a long while, if ever, before machine learning usurps the proper research consultant as the deliverer of insights. But it’s worth thinking aboutContinue reading “Machine learning and the future of human-shaped qual”

Top Qual Tips 1: the generation vs illustration dichotomy

It’s time to post something actually useful – I hope – about qualitative research. After a long hiatus with this blog in 2015 for technical reasons – WordPress somehow produced an unbreakable security loop which prevented me and my IT guy accessing it for several months – I’ve managed a couple of ultimately quite self-indulgentContinue reading “Top Qual Tips 1: the generation vs illustration dichotomy”

Julia Holter: lucidity by the shore

Since I branded my qual consultancy Shore in 2010 – the ‘shore’ idea being qual research as a liminal, in-between place between communicators and the public – I find myself regularly awash with cultural references to shore-related stuff. I think it’s like when you buy a new Toyota Avensis and suddenly start noticing how manyContinue reading “Julia Holter: lucidity by the shore”

Drive to Swindon and find inner peace

Sometimes – well quite often – I come across a little film or piece of writing that identifies something I’ve long felt and articulates it better than I could. This piece from the School of Life, on what some time behind the wheel on the open road does for you, encapsulates why I’ve come toContinue reading “Drive to Swindon and find inner peace”

Knocked non-conscious: Joanna Chrzanowska’s AQR webinar

This is a webinar Joanna Chrzanowska of Genesis Consulting did for the AQR (http://www.aqr.org.uk) last month. It piqued my interest for at least two reasons. Firstly, it’s an illuminating trot through the roots of qualitative research and its relationship with ideas of the sub-conscious, unconscious and non-conscious. Secondly, it maps out Joanna’s take on where qualContinue reading “Knocked non-conscious: Joanna Chrzanowska’s AQR webinar”

Queer as false memory syndrome

As I get older – which I gather many other people are also doing – I become ever more interested in popular and, even more so, unpopular folk traditions. Tomorrow is a belter of a day in the folk weirdness calendar: May Day. It’s like a clarion call for every nut job in the landContinue reading “Queer as false memory syndrome”

Blame and its illusions: an RSA Short by Brené Brown

Quite funny this: This is from a talk at the RSA, in which the American sociologist and writer explains the toxicity of blame. Not only is blaming people not usually really about some right-minded demand for accountability, it tends towards the opposite. Seen for what it is: Blame is simply the discharging of discomfort andContinue reading “Blame and its illusions: an RSA Short by Brené Brown”

Another great election tool (and it’s not a politician)

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2015/apr/20/election-2015-constituency-map The Grauniad has a nice interactive tool on the website now, allowing you to check the polls constituency by constituency (click on the link above). I also like the UK map on there a lot, which is morphed to reflect where most people live. It’s a great antidote to those more strictly territorial mapsContinue reading “Another great election tool (and it’s not a politician)”