TALE: How to develop a framework for a possible theme called “Slow Talk”?

Oliver Ding

Published in

TALE500

14 min readJan 24, 2023

Moving from Knowledge Themes to Knowledge Frameworks

The above picture represents a Possible Theme called “Slow Talk”.

Name: Slow Talk
Clue: From Controversy to Collaboration
Type: knowledge theme
Contributor: Mani Vannan

The theme of “Slow Talk” was inspired by Mani Vannan’s question:

Hi Oliver, Which of your models will you use to improve communication and enhance understanding?

It inspired me to rethink my knowledge frameworks. In the past several years, I worked on theories about Activity, Relevance, Affordances, Concepts/Themes, and Anticipation. I didn’t directly work in the field of Communication Research.

However, I made some knowledge frameworks about thematic controversy, collaborative projects, slow cognition, etc. Mani Vannan’s question encouraged me to curate these frameworks together.

So, I made a new possible theme called “Slow Talk”.

Today I will use this significant insight as an example to discuss creating a framework for a possible theme.

The Journey of Knowledge Engagement

TALE stands for Thematic Analysis Learning Engagement. TALE was launched as a new knowledge center for the Thematic Engagement project.

Thematic Engagement refers to the “Person — Theme” relationship and interaction.

I define two types of themes for the Thematic Engagement project and TALE. See the diagram below.

While Knowledge Engagement is about the interaction between a person and a knowledge theme, Cultural Engagement is about the interaction between a person and a cultural theme.

While Knowledge Engagement aims to produce Knowledge Innovation, Cultural Engagement aims to produce Cultural Innovation.

A possible theme is a good starting point for a journey of knowledge engagement. Though there is no standard process of knowledge engagement, we can claim that “Developing Knowledge Frameworks” is a great movement of the journey.

How do we move from a thematic space about “Creating Possible Themes” to a thematic space about “Developing Knowledge Frameworks”?

Today I will share my own experience of developing a knowledge framework for the theme of “Slow Talk”. My path is very simple:

Step 1: Naming a new possible theme
Step 2: Make a cover picture for the theme
Step 3: Develop a working definition (by using a relevant framework)
Step 4: Curate more relevant frameworks together
Step 5: Make a diagram of a theme network

I went through the above five steps within 24 hours. The rest of the article will share more details with some diagrams.

Step 0: Starting with a Small Talk

To be honest, I didn’t get the idea on Jan 22, 2023. Yesterday I received a message from Mani Vannan on Linkedin.

The question inspired me to search my mind and my knowledge creations. I realized that I didn’t directly work in the field of Communication Research. However, some of my frameworks are relevant to this issue, especially the Thematic Controversy framework.

I sent the following screenshot and a link to the original article to Mani Vannan.

I wrote the original article Diagram Blending: “Activity Circle” + “Concept Dynamics” on July 31, 2022.

My approach is an activity-based approach, I always put activity/practice/context/situation as an important background for discussing topics and issues. The “Activity Circle” framework is a great example of this approach.

In this way, my perspective to “improve communication” and “enhance understanding” considers Activity and Relevance.

Activity: what are people doing? what kind of tools do they use?
Relevance: what is the relationship between these people? what are their motivation and abilities?

Activity Theory also has a great theoretical concept about “Mediation” which is about psychological tools and technical tools. I use “Thing” for the above “Activity Circle” framework. The term “Thing” refers to the concept of “Mediation” too.

For example, “Metaverse” is a sign which can be used as a psychological tool. ChatGPT is a technical tool.

The Concept Dynamics framework is for discussing concepts’ meaning. Especially, professional discussion or academic discussion.

This was my initial answer to Mani Vannan’s question.

However, my mind changed. It looks like this:

I realized that there is a need to curate some of my knowledge frameworks around “improve communication” and “enhance understanding”.

Mani Vannan’s question is a great creative trigger for me. A small talk led to a slow talk!

Step 1: Naming a new possible theme

On Jan 22, I read Mani Vannan’s message in the morning and replied to it in the afternoon.

Mani’s question doesn’t frame a boundary, I have to find the boundary for myself. If I can find a new possible theme, then I can use it to define a boundary. In this way, I can use the new thematic space to curate some of my frameworks together into a new meaningful whole.

In fact, this is the value of the notion of “Possible Theme” for Knowledge Engagement and Developing Tacit Knowledge in general.

This morning I got an idea for a new possible theme. I used “Slow Talk” to name this theme.

How did I get this idea? See the diagram below. The name is inspired by “Small Talk” and the “Slow Cognition” approach. Small Talk refers to light, informal conversation, especially between people who don’t know each other well. The “Slow Cognition” approach refers to my approach to studying creative work.

As mentioned above, I connected the Thematic Controversy framework with the theme yesterday. Today, I also connected the ARCH framework with this theme.

The ARCH framework is a visual language of interpersonal interactions and collaborative project engagement. The keyword of the ARCH framework is Collaboration.

If we put the Thematic Controversy framework and the ARCH framework together, we see a new path: From Controversy to Collaboration. This is the clue of the theme “Slow Talk”.

I can use “Slow Talk: From Controversy to Collaboration” to frame a thematic space and run a knowledge curation project in order to achieve “improve communication” and “enhance understanding”.

Step 2: Make a cover picture for the theme

Now I have a name and a clue for a new possible theme. The next step is to make a cover picture. See the picture below.

Why did I design a fake cover for a possible theme?

Making a fake cover for a possible book is a technique of Continuous Objectification.

Objectification means turning abstract ideas into concrete things. A theme is an abstract idea, you have to do any kind of action of Objectification in order to make it real, visible, touchable, grabbable…

You can find more details in TALE: How to Develop a Possible Knowledge Theme? A Simple Answer.

Step 3: Develop a working definition (by using a relevant framework)

As mentioned above, the ARCH framework is about Collaboration. In fact, it offers a framework for understanding the development of collaboration between two people. The diagram below is the basic model of ARCH.

The above five-stage schema is inspired by the Attachance framework.

By using the ARCH framework, I developed a working definition for the theme “Slow Talk”. The diagram below is a rough idea.

Finally, I used four stages to define “the Tendency of Slow Talk”. This idea gives a path to the “Slow Talk” thematic space.

We can use this path as a working definition to support further development.

Step 4: Curate more relevant frameworks together

Now we have a container with a theme, we can put many things into this container. This leads to a knowledge curation project.

As mentioned above, I have developed many knowledge frameworks. Now I select six relevant frameworks from my own creations for this project. Each framework echoes a particular aspect of “Slow Talk”.

4.1 Concept Dynamics

The Concept Dynamics framework is for discussing concepts’ meaning. Especially, professional discussion or academic discussion.

It was born from a project called Affordance Analysis. In 2020, I conducted a genetic analysis of the development of the “Affordance” Concept Ecology. See the diagram below:

I found there are six moments of the development process:

Perceive: A person perceives a brand new reality in the real-life world and discovers its theoretical value.
Primary Conceptualize: The person conceptualizes his insights and develops a brand new theoretical concept.
Secondary Conceptualize: The original theoretical concept is adopted and modified by others. This moment generates first-order variation and second-hand concepts.
Tertiary Conceptualize: A second-hand concept is adopted and modified by others without returning to the original theoretical concept. This moment generates second-order variation and third-hand concepts.
Meta Conceptualize: This moment is about reflecting and reviewing the developmental process of a concept ecology.
Deconstruct: People use the word part of the concept without deeply considering its theoretical meaning and value. An awesome theoretical concept became a buzzword.

This model is pretty interesting because it clearly describes the source of the complexity of a concept ecology. It also points out a possible solution to solve the problem of knowledge overload.

Based on the case study, I developed the Concept Dynamics framework. You can find more details in Knowledge Discovery: The Concept Dynamics Framework.

What’s the relationship between the Concept Dynamics framework and the “Slow Talk” theme? See the diagram below.

Based on “the Tendency of Slow Talk”, I made the above diagram. There are four types of thematic status:

Thematic Conversation: discussions about the same theme
Conceptual Heterogeneity: talk about the same concept, but refer it to different meanings
Conceptual Homogeneity: talk about the same concept, and refer it to the same meaning
Thematic Creation: make new possible themes together

The Concept Dynamics framework is used to discuss Conceptual Heterogeneity and Conceptual Homogeneity.

4.2 Themes of Practice

What are the differences between themes and concepts?

I personally consider themes as meaning keywords and associate concepts with knowledge concepts or academic concepts. In other words, themes’ meanings can be loose, rough, dynamic, and subjective.

On the contrary, I use concepts to refer to knowledge concepts or academic concepts. concepts’ meanings are close, delicate, solid, and objective.

I also use “notion” to refer to personal ideas or subjective understanding of concepts.

You can find more details in Knowledge Discovery: Concepts, Notions, and the Concept Dynamics Framework and Knowledge Discovery: The “Concepts — Notions” Mapping.

The “Themes of Practice” framework adopts a process view to connect individual life themes with collective cultural themes. Anthropologist Morris Opler (1945) developed a theoretical concept called “themes” for studying culture. Career counseling therapists and psychologists also developed a theoretical concept called “life themes”.

The “Themes of Practice” framework also uses the following diagram to study the “practice” of a theme.

You can find more details in Themes of Practice (2019–2021) and The Career Themes Canvas.

What’s the relationship between the Themes of Practice framework and the “Slow Talk” theme? See the diagram below.

The “Themes of Practice” framework covers the whole path of the Slow Talk.

4.3 Project Engagement

Initially, I used the term “Project Engagement” to name the second part of my 2020/2021 book Project-oriented Activity Theory which introduces Andy Blunden’s “project as a unit of analysis of activity” to Activity Theory.

In 2022, I expanded the Project Engagement (v1.0) framework to v2.1. You can find more details in Project Engagement (v2.1) as an Innovation Approach.

The Project Engagement Toolkit is a project-oriented toolkit for theory-based reflection and study. A significant aspect of the toolkit is it connects the following two theoretical approaches of Activity Theory together and offers a series of tools for practitioners in the age of projectification.

The Activity System Model (Yrjö Engeström, 1987)
Activity as Formation of Concept (Andy Blunden, 2010, 2012, 2014)

While Engeström’s model is perfect for dealing with traditional work projects, Blunden’s approach considers collaborative projects as the foundation of social movements and cultural innovation.

By curating the above two approaches together, the toolkit offers a cross-boundary solution for achieving a balance between individual impact and collective impact. In this way, the toolkit could lead us to an innovative way of connecting personal life themes and cultural themes in order to build a sustainable society together.

You can find more details in the Project Engagement Toolkit.

The above diagram associates “Project Engagement” with “Thematic Creation” because “Project-oriented Activity Theory” emphasizes the process of building a brand new concept/theme.

4.4 Anticipatory Activity System

The Anticipatory Activity System (AAS) framework is inspired by Activity Theory and Anticipatory System theory. It aims to offer an abstract model for understanding “Self, Other, Present, Future”.

While the traditional Activity Theory focuses on “Exploitative Activity”, the AAS framework is more about “Exploratory Activity”.

The core of the AAS framework is the Transactional Anticipatory System which considers the “Self, Other, Present, Future” situation. See the diagram below:

You can find more details in The iART Framework and The “Relevance” Thematic Space.

From the perspective of Anticipatory Activity System, the process of “Slow Talk” is also a process of developing the “Self — Other” relevance.

You can find more details in Anticipatory Activity System (AAS) and A Possible Book, Life Discovery: The AAS Framework, and Advanced Life Strategy (A Possible Book): Anticipatory Activity System and Life Achievements.

4.5 Slow Cognition

I use the theme of “Slow Cognition” to refer to a large thematic space for my creative work. It means many things, for example:

The Slow Cognition project: phase 1 (developing tacit knowledge) and phase 2 (creative work study)
The 5A Slow Cognition Model
The Slow Cognition method (see the diagram below)

You can find more details in The Slow Cognition Project and related methods.

What does it mean to the “Slow Talk” theme?

We can use the Slow Cognition method to study the development of “understanding” within the process of Slow Talk.

4.6 Creative Dialogue

I use “Creative Dialogue” to refer to the following things:

Thematic Dialogue Mapping
The ECHO Way (v3.0)
Creative Journey: The ECHO Way to Creative Work Study.

On Sept 15, 2022, I launched the Thematic Engagement Toolkit (v1.0) which is for understanding knowledge engagement, thematic conversation, controversy, thematic reflection, etc. The toolkit refers to a dialogue between the following two knowledge frameworks:

The Themes of Practice Approach (2019, 2021)
The Project Engagement Approach (2021, 2022)

In fact, this is a milestone in my journey of “Activity — Opportunity” Thematic Dialogue.

Based on the case study about the journey, I developed the Thematic Dialogue Mapping method which uses the ECHO Way’s diagram for diagramming. For example:

Guests: “Affordance” and “Ecological Zone”

The above diagram is about adopting concepts of “Projectivity” and “Zone of Project” to develop the “Project Engagement” framework.

The above diagram is an ECHO between Project-oriented Activity Theory and Curativity Theory.

The above diagram represents six ECHOes of the journey.

You can find more details in Slow Cognition: The “Activity — Opportunity” Thematic Dialogue, Slow Cognition: The Echoes of A Thematic Dialogue; and Creative Journey: The ECHO Way to Creative Work Study (Note)

For the theme of “Slow Talk”, Creative Dialogue refers to a particular method for the development of “collaboration”.

Creative Thematic Dialogue is a really useful technique for developing a deep understanding of knowledge concepts.

Step 5: Make a diagram of a theme network

In order to summarize the above ideas, I made the following diagram which shows a theme network.

This theme network has a simple structure: the hammer-nail schema.

What’s the Nail? Slow Talk.

What are the Hammers?

Concept Dynamics
Themes of Practice
Project Engagement
Anticipatory Activity System
Slow Cognition
Creative Dialogue

This is the beginning of a knowledge curation project.

Conclusion

A possible theme is a good starting point for a journey of knowledge engagement. There are many things you can do within the journey. It all depends on your motivation and preferences.

There is no standard process of knowledge engagement, I used the Slow Cognition approach to reflect on my own experiences and developed several models and methods. What I discovered is that even I can make many models from my journey. I can use different units of analysis, select different periods, and pay attention to different aspects, etc.

From the perspective of Curativity Theory, a simple idea of the journey of knowledge engagement is about “Filling the Container”.

A new possible theme frames a new thematic space for creative work. In the beginning, the new thematic space is an empty container. The rest of the journey is filling the empty container and developing a meaningful order for the new whole.

In order to fill the thematic space, you can do various things.

This article focuses on “Developing Knowledge Frameworks”.

I share my own experience of developing a knowledge framework for the theme of “Slow Talk”. My path is very simple:

Step 1: Naming a new possible theme
Step 2: Make a cover picture for the theme
Step 3: Develop a working definition (by using a relevant framework)
Step 4: Curate more relevant frameworks together
Step 5: Make a diagram of a theme network

For Step 3, I used a relevant framework to develop a working definition. You don’t have to do it. You can directly give a definition to a new possible theme.

For Step 4, I used my own knowledge frameworks as raw materials for this project. You don’t have to do the same way.

You can use the knowledge frameworks you learned for your projects.