Before I become too deeply immersed in the next stage of my researches (which will need to begin with some investigation into ‘action research’ as a specific method – or should that be methodology?), it would be appropriate to summarise how I have been ‘filing’ the information sources on which I’ve been relying to various extents. The benefit of such categorisation has perhaps been mostly in terms of self-reassuring comfort, stemming from just knowing I have easy access to information as and when I need it – rather than feeling out of my depth because of its variety and quantity (not to speak of my inability to understand or digest much of it). Previous journal entries (13.12.15 and 15.06.16) have described my use of computer-based folders in which to store articles or book reviews under the headings a) Methodology, b) Community (in general), c) Community Architecture / Innovation (in particular), d) Practice / Business (in general), and e) Particular Firms / People. When I was identifying the practices chosen for interview as ‘case studies’ for Doc 3, for example, all my text and commentary had been stored in the ‘Community Architecture’ folder. In the meanwhile, however, over the excessively long period it took me to produce Doc3, I had developed another system for ‘filing’ hard copies of selected articles (mostly news or opinion items culled from professional journals and websites in the interests of maintaining or tracking ‘topicality’) together with textbooks (at one point, I had borrowed 31 from the Boots Library). The system involved stacking these in separate piles all over the floor of my flat, with sticky post-it notes identifying their contents:
· social place-making
· digital technology and innovation / smart cities / post phenomenology
· participation theory
· practice-informed research
· RIBA policy and guidance
· government policy / legislation
· community-led design / community-oriented design
· social housing initiatives
· architects and business / architects as developers
· housing principles and types.
These headings (in no particular order) had evolved in response to my decision to start ‘sorting’ my notes, based upon what seemed to be different themes within their content, rather than being imposed as an outcome of the main or subsidiary research questions, or of decisions about how I might subdivide my text, etc. For the moment, this seems a manageable information-containment system, and I have moved the paper-based articles to my drawing-board (horizontal) and the books – again in piles – to the floor beneath. Book piles are not labelled, but are generally organised:
practice-informed research
· architectural education / School of Architecture project offices
· business management
· philosophy
· social organisations
· participation
· research guidance.
Having suffered a flood in the flat just before Easter (fortunately not affecting the area of floor being used for information storage), I was obliged to move everything out of the contractors’ way so that the vinyl floor finish could be re-laid – providing an opportunity to review, remind myself, and renew my filing ‘system’ (and the incentive to return over half the borrowed books to the library). At this stage, I see no need to change any of my randomly derived filing categories.