Research and Development, "Areas of Practice" - seminar notes.

This seminar was the 1st in a series, designed to give the group a workshop style problem-solving session, which comprised of approximately 8 students, and to experienced tutors, Dr Alison Romilly, and Christian Lloyd.

The context of this seminar is to establish how do we inform ourselves, and how do we completely immerse ourselves in the "art world". In other words how do we become "professional"

With regards to my own practice motivation I explained that my area of interest was a commentary on contemporary culture and in particular this would need to blink with my interests in both philosophy and popular psychology.

What I need to remind myself continually throughout my practice is how does my work find a home? In other words where and who is the audience?

To answer these questions I also need to ask myself "what I actually trying to do?" And with this, I need to ask who does similar work now? Where can it be found? When can I go and see it? What context has this been created in etc etc I therefore setting up the boundaries for my practice in order to develop a research "question"
in essence what I'm doing is I am defining the problem. What context are people currently practising in a similar way doing now?

Recommended studies to investigate would be that of "Larves and Wenger" and their book "The community of practice"…
 - Within their books they discuss the models relating to practice and communities and liken it to concentric circles of communities revolving around the central inner sanctum if you like, of key people. Each of those concentric circles contain groups that are closer and closer by each barrier or ripple of the concentric circle to the most influential key people at the centre. The idea is to get through each of the doors to each barrier or ripple, by finding suitable introductions through understanding what each of those communities as individual people actually want this is an enabler to cross each of those boundaries to get to the inner sanctum.

I understood this concept immediately having spent many many years in the sales profession, and understanding communities is no different to understanding corporations with centres of influence key decision-makers and recognising where and who time wasters might be. This sounds a little ruthless, but understanding where the time wasters might be is essential, otherwise a great deal of resource and time can be spent with some individuals for no return at all.

In conclusion:
I need to explore what disciplines (and influences) I am drawing upon in order to grow my own practice. I need to find and understand where and who the decision-makers are in order for my practice to become recognised. I can then focus on what they want, in order to get to know them and get their own attention. Again I need to continually ask myself "why?" In other words why do I make the stuff that I make in the way that I do it?.