Initiating the Inquiry

Co-researchers were attracted to the inquiry by articles written by the initiating researcher (see App1.2) which appeared in the London CCI quarterly magazine (Hug New year 1997) and the national quarterly magazine (One-to-one, Spring, 1997) with an invitation to make contact by phone. 18 introductory letters with questionnaires (App2.1) were despatched; 13 replies were received (App3.0) From the responses a change 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 piece of (solo) data-processing, this researcher created a ‘compilation’ questionnaire for redistribution to the inquiry group (see Positioning section), an "Introduction to 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 which 7 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 group process. Between meetings there were the two periods of individual practice in which we continued our inquiry in our home settings. There was an open invitation to all co-researches to make a personal report after each meeting. A deadline was set (and extended with reminders) after which the reports were compiled and distributed to all attendees (App3.1, 3.2 & 3.3). With the first distribution of 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