Initiating the Inquiry

Co-researchers were attracted to the inquiry byarticles written by the initiating researcher (see App1.2) which appearedin the London CCI quarterly magazine (Hug New year 1997) and thenational quarterly magazine (One-to-one, Spring, 1997) with an invitationto make contact by phone. 18 introductory letters with questionnaires (App2.1)were despatched; 13 replies were received (App3.0) From the responses achange of venue, date and duration of the initial meeting was clearly indicated.(App 3.2) Towards the end of September1997, in what was the first pieceof (solo) data-processing, this researcher created a ‘compilation’ questionnairefor redistribution to the inquiry group (see Positioning section), an "Introductionto the Co-operative Inquiry method" written by Heron & Reason (1996)(App2.3) was included in that mailing.

Inquiry meetings

12 people attended the first ‘opting in’ (18/10/97)meeting. Next, there was a weekend gathering (13 & 14/12/97) to which7 co-researchers came. The final meeting, at which there were 8 persons,was on Feb 27 1998. This totals 36 hrs spent together in experiential groupprocess. Between meetings there were the two periods of individual practicein which we continued our inquiry in our home settings. There was an openinvitation to all co-researches to make a personal report after each meeting.A deadline was set (and extended with reminders) after which the reportswere compiled and distributed to all attendees (App3.1,3.2& 3.3). With the first distributionof reports, in response to the complaint that the first introduction (App2.3)was ‘too academic’, a copy of Heron’s Layperson’s guide (App2.4- external link) was included. A draft form of the ‘Pamphlet’ (App1.6)was included in the final mailout with a request for editorial comment.

Updated 16 June 99
by Martin Wilks