TALE: Start A Thematic Conversation

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TALE500

11 min readJan 18, 2023

Talk about a theme or a theme network with friends

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.

There are various concrete activities and projects under the abstract notion of Thematic Engagement. We will introduce some examples one by one.

On Jan 3, 2023, we introduced Thematic Curation Activity. Today, we are going to introduce the Thematic Conversation Activity.

Thematic Conversation as Practice

I defined Thematic Conversation as the practice of theme-centered conversation between professional workers.

For example, The Design & Critical Thinking (D &CT) community has a routine practice called “virtual chalet” which is a recurring informal event (once every 2 weeks) for the community to take the space & time to discuss, share ideas & experiences, find support, ask questions, etc.

On Feb 15, 2022, D & CT started a new activity which is mediated by a series of keywords. According to the curator of the community, “In this session, we used a keyword as a catalyst to approach the broader topic of the role of designers in society, and the question ‘how could we become better designers?’ which will be a running theme for the coming sessions & workshops.”

Virtual Chalet, 15 Feb 2022 — Actionable, knowledge, emotions, affordance #becomingbetterdesigners

The above diagram is the mindmap of the event. You can find more details in the diagram below.

They recorded the event and shared the whole video on YouTube. See below.

The theme of the event is “Actionable, Knowledge, Emotions, Affordance”.

You can find more details and large-size pictures here.

Thematic Conversation as Project

The Design & Critical Thinking (D &CT) community’s “virtual chalet” is a community-based event. Thematic Conversation Activity can be a micro-collaborative project between two people too.

In fact, any large collaborative project starts with two people. In a 2010 book titled An Interdisciplinary Theory of Activity, Andy Blunden gives us an archetypal unit of Project. See the diagram below.

Source: An Interdisciplinary Theory of Activity (2010, p.315)

The rich context of the notion of collaboration also brings to light more complex relationships. The notions of hierarchy, command, division of labor, cooperation, exchange, service, attribution, exploitation, dependence, solidarity, and more can all be studied in the context of just two individuals working together in a common project. And yet almost all the mysteries of social science as well as a good part of psychology are contained in this archetypal unit: two people working together in a common project.” (2010, p.315)

If you want to have a real thematic conversation, you need at least two people.

Diagramming for Conversation

We have to notice that talking is not the only way of conversation. We can use messaging, writing, and diagramming too.

If we want to discuss a theme network, it is better to consider diagramming, writing, and talking together.

Today I will share a real example of a thematic conversation with diagrams.

Yesterday I had a private conversation with Daiana Zavate on Linkedin. Later, I wrote a public article titled How to Set Annual Themes for 2023?

Today Daiana Zavate wrote an article to follow the discussion about annual themes for 2023.

She made several diagrams for her post. I will respond to these diagrams one by one.

The Pareidolia Metaphor for Strategic Exploration

How did I read Daiana Zavate’s post? I read the full content of the article and return to the beginning.

I found that there is a Meaningful Keyword in the title:

Strategic Exploration

A meaningful keyword is a Theme!

I also noticed that she uses a metaphor to represent her rough ideas about “Strategic Exploration”.

She also intently mentions the metaphor with a note:

Common case of Pareidolia (Wiki: Tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one sees an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none)

According to Wikipedia, “Common examples are perceived images of animals, faces, or objects in cloud formations, seeing faces in inanimate objects, or lunar pareidolia like the Man in the Moon or the Moon rabbit. The concept of pareidolia may extend to include hidden messages in recorded music played in reverse or at higher- or lower-than-normal speeds, and hearing voices (mainly indistinct) or music in random noise, such as that produced by air conditioners or fans. Scientists have taught computers to use visual clues to “see” faces and other images.”

The Danish electrical outlet can be perceived as a happy face

Pareidolia is a useful way for art creation. However, the Pareidolia metaphor has a different meaning in the context of Strategic Exploration.

What’s the meaning behind the Pareidolia metaphor?

Daiana Zavate has provided the answer in the title:

Thinking differently requires doing things differently

Now we can see a possible theme from this beginning. Let’s translate it into TALE’s style.

Verbal: She uses “Strategic Exploration” to name a new possible theme.
Visual: She uses the Pareidolia metaphor to represent a rough meaning behind the theme of “Strategic Exploration”.
Clue: Thinking differently requires doing things differently
Secondary themes: “Creation” and “Meta-learning”
Type: knowledge theme

This is the beginning of our thematic conversation. I identified her primary theme, secondary themes, and visual representation.

Primary Theme and Secondary Themes

In fact, Daiana Zavate uses a different framework to organize her ideas. See the diagram below.

A framework is a concrete way to represent a possible configuration of a theme network.

Though a journey of knowledge engagement may lead to a knowledge framework, it’s too early to set a framework for a possible theme and its theme network.

As mentioned in the previous post, For knowledge engagement, learning, and development in general, we can use “Annual Themes” for framing the direction, the boundary, and the meaning of the journey.

Direction: Annual Themes don’t point to a particular place, but set a rough direction.
Boundary: Annual Themes don’t claim a particular content, but set a boundary for your journey.
Meaning: Annual Themes connect Past, Present, and Future together by linking with other themes.

In other words, don’t give the answer and solution in the beginning. The value of “Annual Themes” is to define the scope and boundary of a creative space.

There are many possible paths to cross the creative space.

Don’t set only one path before you enter the creative space.

What’s Daiana Zavate’s theme network?

Primary theme: Creation
Secondary themes: Meta-learning, Meta-cognition, Consolidate Existing Skills, Anticipate the Emergence of new skills, Reframe the Goal of Learning, Exploring new modes of learning

She also mentions “Connection” and “Expression” in the area of Primary Theme.

What’s the logic behind her theme network?

She uses the “Process” view (or the “Activity” view) to see the relationship between the primary theme and secondary themes.

Primary theme: “Creation” is the final outcome of the process
Secondary themes: these themes refer to actions of the process

I also notice that she uses an established theoretical concept called “Meta-cognition” for her framework.

Since the framework is a rough idea for curating annual themes, I’d like to remove the concept of “Meta-cognition” from the map. Also, I’d like to suggest adding “Learning” to the theme network.

Now we can use a new diagram to represent her theme network.

A Possible Configuration of A Theme Network

A Theme Network is a dynamic complex. We can perceive many possible configurations from a theme network.

If we perceive a configuration and believe it is very useful for the present situation, then we can turn this configuration into a situational framework.

If the situational framework is not only useful for the present situation but also suitable for other situations, then we can turn the framework into solid knowledge for a community of practice.

The diagram below is a possible configuration of Daiana Zavate’s theme network.

Now let’s compare the new version with her old version.

I remove “Meta-cognition” from the diagram.

Why?

We don’t need to waste time on a debate about the difference between “Meta-learning” and “Meta-cognition” in the beginning. “Meta-learning” is a possible theme that refers to a creative space, we can explore new ideas. However, if we adopt an established theoretical concept, we have to adopt existing knowledge frameworks behind the concept.

I add “Learning” to the diagram.

Why?

If you use the term “Meta-X”, you have to consider the “X” too.

I use “Working” to replace “Experience” (the right side of the original diagram)

“Working” is the opposite theme of “Learning”. The word “Experience” can refer to both “Working” and “Learning”.

I use “the Field of Meta-learning” to define the scope of Meta-learning.

The original diagram doesn’t consider “Experience” as the object of “Meta-Learning”. I think it is better to expand the scope of “Meta-learning” from “learning skills” to “reflection on experience”.

In other words, the field of Meta-learning covers the whole process of creation.

I made a “process” view to represent the flow of creation.

The original diagram has the “process” view. I just change the visual layout.

I also identify five movements of Meta-learning. Each movement can appear in any process.

The term “orientation” is inspired by the term “Reorient” which is a step on the right side of the original diagram.

The new diagram clearly presents two visual areas and each area refers to a group of secondary themes.

Figure (focus): a process view of creation
Ground (background): the field of meta-learning

Inspired by Peter Gardenfors’ Conceptual Space: The Geometry of Thought, I suggested a foundational principle for designing canvas on Oct 27, 2021:

A good canvas matches visual areas and conceptual spaces with a simple and unique style of spatial configuration.

According to Gardenfors, a Conceptual Space is defined as a set of Quality Dimensions with a geometrical structure. Also, there is a middle layer called Domain in Cardenfors’ theory. As Gardenfors explained, “A domain is a set of integral dimensions that are separable from other dimensions… A conceptual space can then be defined as a collection of one or more domains.”

If we don’t want to use Gardenfors’ terms such as Quality Dimensions, Domain, we can use the notion of “Thematic Space”. For the Thematic Engagement approach, I use “Thematic Space”.

For designing canvases and diagrams, the essential point is matching between Visual Areas and Thematic Spaces.

The new version uses the “Figure — Ground” schema to define two Visual Areas and uses them to represent two groups of secondary themes.

The new diagram leads to a new question:

Is “Meta-learning” the primary theme of Daiana Zavate’s theme network?

She claims that “Creation” is the primary theme of her theme network.

The Meaning of A Primary Theme

Let’s return to the discussion about annual themes. For knowledge engagement, learning, and development in general, we can use “Annual Themes” for framing the direction, the boundary, and the meaning of the journey.

Direction: Annual Themes don’t point to a particular place, but set a rough direction.
Boundary: Annual Themes don’t claim a particular content, but set a boundary for your journey.
Meaning: Annual Themes connect Past, Present, and Future together by linking with other themes.

Now we can use the above discussion to review the following themes:

“Creation”
“Meta-learning”
“Strategic Exploration”

While both “Creation” and “Meta-learning” point to a clear direction, they don’t indicate a clear boundary.

“Strategic Exploration” is a good candidate because it points to a clear direction, indicates a clear boundary, and represents a meaning which connects to Daiana Zavate’s creative life as a strategic designer.

Moreover, there is a dramatic element behind the theme of “Strategic Exploration”. There is a structural tension between “Strategy” and “Exploration”.

This structural tension is similar to “Creative Curation” because “Creativity” and “Curativity” are opposite to each other.

In 2021, I worked on several independent research projects. The theme of “Creative Curation” was discovered from the Milanote (BACK TO W.E.C.) project.

The term “Creative Curation” is pretty interesting because there is a paradox behind the term: Curativity against Creativity. Creators tend to think and act without any frame. However, Curators tend to give a frame to think and act in order to make a meaningful whole.
Virtual Whiteboards make a balance between Curativity and Creativity. For example, Milanote is understood as “the Evernote for Creatives”. It also uses “Get organized. Stay creative.” as its slogan.
I also found the theme of “Creative Curation” from the BACK TO W.E.C. program which can be understood as an example of platform-based social practices. The program was designed as a two-month program. After one month, the program host discussed the progress with me and told me that they struggled with the style of program curation: open v.s. control.
This is interesting because the theme of “Creative Curation” appears in both the technological environment and the social environment.

You can find more details about the Milanote (BACK TO W.E.C.) project in The “5A” Slow Cognition Model.

This is a good technique to design a knowledge theme: A + B (with a deep opposite dimension). You can find a list of opposite themes for discussing life strategy.

Now we can return to the beginning of Daiana Zavate’s article. I made a new version of “Pareidolia”.

The above diagram only highlights two secondary themes:

“Creation”
“Meta-learning”

Now we have a very simple theme network:

Primary theme: “Strategic Exploration”
Secondary themes: “Creation”, “Meta-learning”

I also add some notes to the “Pareidolia” and turn it into a new framework.

The source of Meta-learning: First-order Experience and Second-order Experience.
Three tendencies of Strategic Exploration: Taste, Cross, and Escape.
Two theoretical resources: Activity Theory and Curativity Theory

First-order Experience and Second-order Experience are adopted from the Creative Life Curation framework.

The notion of “Creative Life Curation” refers to turning Life Experiences into Developmental Resources, and Meaningful Achievement.

I consider “Creative Life Curation” as a specific life strategy for knowledge creators.

First-order Experience refers to normal life experiences. The girl sees the ocean.

Second-order Experience refers to Creative Life Curation. We need to curate pieces of normal life experiences into a meaningful whole.

How can we do it?

According to Curativity Theory, we need a container to turn pieces into a meaningful whole.

We need a frame to frame life experiences.

The frame brings us Second-order Experience.

Strategic Exploration is about both the normal experience of strategic work and the frames we used for strategic work.