Anthropological Research, Consulting & Counseling
We offer a wide range of research methods for the rapid and unbiased elicitation of data.
Alternative Methods include, but are not limited to:
Survey Research; Bibliographic Research; Archival & Ethno-historical Research; Photography & Graphic Analysis; Contextual & Content Analysis of Texts & Artifacts; Genealogical Research; Ethnographic Research; Organizational Research & Systems Analysis; Linguistic Analysis; Ethno-scientific Research & Analysis; Cognitive & Symbolic Research & Analysis; Knowledge Elicitation & Engineering for Computer-based Applications; Systematic & Creative Black-boarding & Brainstorming Heuristics.
Meaningful, patterned information is usually structured by rules that are mostly in the background of the phenomena in question and are therefore only implicit and normally unavailable to our rational consciousness. Problems arise in the patterning of everyday phenomena because unexpected changes occur beyond the boundaries of our normal awareness. Objective procedures of unbiased elicitation of knowledge and information from key informants and detailed, in-depth analysis of the background context, allow for the formulation and testing of the otherwise implicit rule patterning that underlies problems in everyday life. From the objective understanding thus obtained, creative and alternative solutions can be sought and tested in situ. Solutions are frequently self-evident from the results of the analysis itself.
Generally, results will be placed in a final report along with data or records obtained during the research period. The final report is generally a publishable written document, though in addition it can also take a variety of other forms--for instance, a multi-media presentation or an applied experiment.