The Use of the Repertory Grid for Collaboration and Reflection in a Research Context

Abstract

The Repertory Grid (RepGrid) technique has been used extensively in Management Sciences research, including Information Systems research, in order to reveal the personal views of individual research subjects regarding the issue being studied. These individual constructs are then used to propose criteria for success amongst other things. This paper uses a distinctly different form of RepGrid, renamed a Reflection Grid, as a collaboration tool. Members of a research team use this new technique to probe their individual understanding of what happened and what was achieved during a research event and then to share these insights. Hence, not only is the application new (reflection and construction of shared meaning rather than the analysis and synthesis of personal constructs) but the original grid technique has evolved.

The use of the repertory grid technique in online trust research

“…Although adjustments were made to both the process itself and the design of the grid, there are three core features of the repertory grid technique that are common and remain constant despite any modifications (Alexander et al, 2010;Curtis et al, 2008;Jankowicz, 2004) : (1) Elements (items to be evaluated) could be a. selected by a researcher and provided to respondents (Hassenzahl and Trautmann, 2001;Hinkle, 2009) b. developed by a group of respondents (Alexander et al, 2010) c. selected by individual respondents based on the generic requirements set up for a study (Ashleigh and Nandhakumar, 2002;Lemke et al, 2011) (2) Constructs (or explanations of elements' characteristics) could be expressed as single words or sentences describing a respondent's perception of an object under study. Fransella and Bannister (1977) noted that the constructs are collected based on: a. Triading (a respondent reviews three elements and determines how two of them are similar but at the same different from the third element) b. Dyading (a respondent reviews two elements and determines what makes them similar and what makes them different) c. Self-characterization (creating a holistic picture of an object under study)…”

“…As the repertory grid technique was introduced by Kelly (1955), numerous modifications have been made by researchers. Although adjustments were made to both the process itself and the design of the grid, there are three core features of the repertory grid technique that are common and remain constant despite any modifications (Alexander et al, 2010;Curtis et al, 2008;Jankowicz, 2004):…”

“…• selected by a researcher and provided to respondents (Hassenzahl and Trautmann, 2001;Hinkle, 2009); • developed by a group of respondents (Alexander et al, 2010); and • selected by individual respondents based on the generic requirements set up for a study (Ashleigh and Nandhakumar, 2002;Lemke et al, 2011).…”

After All, Who Lectures the Lecturer? Exploring the Barriers Impacting the Development of a Reflective Practitioner

“…Here a stance is considered to be an attitude adopted when grasping during-lesson understandings. It is a large or prevalent configuration that personifies how a lecturer continuously responds to the particular conditions of their lecturing (Alexander et al, 2010). Supposing a stance concerning reflection comprises of the detection of the suitability of engagement for a precise situation in the reflective process.…”

Visual communication: a methodology for measuring management intention and shopfloor acknowledged meaning

“…Repertory Grid Analysis, although originally developed for application to individuals, has also been applied to groups (Bauman 2015, Alexander et al 2010. This requires the identification of suitable methods to take the various responses from individuals and to categorise and group them to 69 identify their similarities.…”