Participative and Deliberative Approaches

Unlike traditional research methodologies which view participants as "subject" for study, participatory techniques see respondents more as agents, actively involved in the research process.  This shift in focus, actively incorporating the experiences and knowledge of the subjects of research, offers a more nuanced and subtle way of seeing the world as it appears to respondents.

Peer interviewing

Members of the public are recruited to conduct research with respondents who share many of the same characteristics as themselves - such as age, sex, social class, language of ethnic origin.  Using this technique, participants and peer interviewers are able to develop a more effective and engaging rapport with one another.  Peer interviewing has often been used in work with young people, and Ipsos MORI have made use of this technique when researching drug use and homelessness.

Citizen researchers

Members of the public are recruited to conduct primary research, usually amongst their peer group.  They enjoy many of the same advantages as peer interviewers, developing a good rapport with the group they wish to study, understanding jargon and helping bring out views which differ from those of professionals.  Citizen Researchers are often involved in the project at an earlier stage - helping to develop the design and questions to be put to respondents.

Deliberative techniques

These techniques involve participants in creating and exploring different options and get them involved in or ultimately responsible for decision making.  These approaches are usually used in:

• Citizen's juries: usually take place over one to five days, during which time the participants (or jurors) deliberate a certain question or issue.  To help with their deliberations, they hear evidence from a variety of 'specialist witnesses,' who present arguments on different sides of the debate.  Jurors are given the time and space to scrutinise the information given to them, and the experts, as they see fit, before reaching a conclusion.
• Workshops: an interactive session or sessions, often taking a full day, in which researchers and participants work intensively on an issue or question. The process often combines elements of qualitative research, brainstorming or problem-solving.  They may involve larger numbers of people than conventional group discussions, and often involve more than one moderator or facilitator.
• Real world exercises: putting participants into situations which approximate 'real life,' encouraging them to balance aims, priorities and preferences in a way that reflects the external world.  For example, Ipsos MORI have previously run 'budget setting workshops,' where participants are given the role of councillors choosing between different spending priorities.
• In pre-tasking exercises: participants are asked to perform a range of tasks for a few days before attending an interview or workshop.  A typical example of a pre-tasking exercise would be to keep a diary, or to refrain from an everyday action such as using a particular brand of product.