First, I would like to share a story.
Last night, I went to a lecture / discussion at the Said Business School in Oxford, given by Sir Winfried Bischoff, currently Chairman of Lloyds Banking Group.
The Subject: Would society be better off without banks?
Tasty subject - right?
Of course, Sir Winfried disagreed with the 'motion'. Frustratingly (for me) - he spoke rather formally, carefully - and he occupied a large portion of his podium-time with a recitation of banking history.
Then: the questions. I listened to question after question, trying to 'work' Sir Winfried for an insight. And - because, I think, the askers wanted to encircle him, the questions had a spirally shape. Multiple questions. Giving Sir Win the option to select which strand to answer, and to wriggle. When my chance came, I had had the benefit of witnessing the wriggliness, and had constructed a tighter question. A pincer, rather than a lasso.
A closed question. "If bank lending before the crisis was, in your words, responsible - then does it follow that your agreement to the increased requirements for lending [£100Bn] under Project Merlin - is irresponsible?"
Not much wriggle-room? Of course, he still wriggled - because he's smarter than me. But he was still forced to reply with "It's stretching." Not a massive admission, and if I had the chance, I'd have loved to keep probing.
When we're searching for Insights, it helps to have lots of time, and a naturally inquisitive demeanour. Sometimes the approach will require an analysis of data, often it's a more humanistic, observational, probing thing. Insights are - usually - emotional connections. Hearts - and occasionally - Minds things, the ways we connect with wants and desires, rather than the more apparent Needs of our consumers / clients.
And then, to seize the insight when you feel you've 'worried' it towards the surface - you will need a tight grasp.
When this is during a qualitative research phase, perhaps interviewing a consumer or other stakeholder, it is worth practising your questioning technique.
Luckily, we are able to witness questioning - good and bad - at work, just by tuning in to Paxman, Humphreys, Wark, Dimbleby, Davis and other BBC grandmasters/mistresses. And of course, the showcase of PMQs every Wednesday (although we should be wary of the direct relevance of the more combative of these.)
Practise. Know when it's right to be oblique, and when to use the tweezers.
