Hannah joined FACE as a research intern in June; she’s working alongside our senior research manager Giuseppe and the social team for the next two months. We asked Hannah to tell us why she chose FACE, and how it will help her with her studies and professional development. Over to you Hannah:
When I say I like people watching, I mean I like people understanding, questioning, and explaining – finding-the-bigger-picture. Everyday people watching makes us seem sporadic and random in nature. That’s fine, but when viewed as a collective, we are so easily predictable. Whether conscious or not, we tend to align with the norm. Uncovering these predictions and shared characteristics is the ultimatum of people watching – and at FACE, that’s how it goes.
So I came to FACE to do some ultimate people watching. I am intrigued by human behaviour and culture – yet I’ve never felt too inspired by the traditional ‘Humanities’. I veer towards a scientific, systematic mindset – yet I am unmoved by electron etiquette. I seek to understand human behaviour and thought, through a scientific – yet emotionally, intuitively, and creatively engaged mindset. According to the Jung’s and Briggs Myers’ theories of personality type, I am a system builder; of systems founded in human beings and values. I’ll take that. I enjoy a combination of creativity and logical thinking.
I was also attracted to FACE, because the methodology here makes sense. As human behaviour changes, its analysis must change too. When looking for an internship this summer, I was looking for somewhere that jumps ahead of the norm. The arguments for quantifying human behaviour, and for qualitatively theorising human behaviour are both compelling. Numbers give clarity, they persuade and explain; they expose differences through time and space. Visualising these numbers creates 1000 words (a rigorously tested statistic, of course). But quantify us head to toe, and you’ve lost the human touch – the sentiment, the reason, the emotion. Retaining the qualitative elements of human behaviour ensures an efficient flow of information, when inevitably the results will be applied back to a naturally qualitative, social species.
I vouch that you can have it all, and here at FACE, the benefits of qualitative insight and numbers are combined in two effective ways. Firstly, Pulsar – described as qualitative data on a quantitative scale – embraces the digital age, where our thoughts and discourse are conveniently recorded online. Given that the majority of Homo Urbanus is active on social media daily, why ignore such valuable footprints? Secondly, social data is combined with the qualitative output of online communities, co-creation workshops, and focus groups; exposing interesting connections and contrasts between our off/online lives. It is exciting to see experts from both angles collaborate on projects, bringing together the best of numeric, qualitative and interactive research. It just makes sense.
So there’s the in depth explanation of why these 2 minutes and 23 seconds made me want more. And why I am too happy to be here, at FACE.
Interested in joining us at FACE? Send your CV to our head of research Matt Arnold – we’re always keen to hear from smart qualitative thinkers: Matthew.Arnold@Facegroup.co.uk
