Walk and talk/Exploratory walk
ACTIVITY TYPE
- Informing
- Consulting
- Deciding together
- Supporting the action
- Reflection and feedback
- Involving
- Dialogue
DESCRIPTION
An exploratory walk is a field observation method done by a small group. This is a flexible tool that brings people to explore and observe water management spaces and areas. Depending on the materials provided to participants (observation sheets, base maps, rating scales, etc.), you can also collect valuable qualitative data. Empowering stakeholders from the local area to lead these walks is also an excellent way for them to share their lived expertise and to position them as knowledge holders.
Suitable for location-based projects.
WATER/ AGRICULTURE EXAMPLE
It is designed to identify both positive aspects and areas of concern e.g. in a water management area. Some of the walk participants should work in the area (farmers, environmental protection workers), but you can also extend invitations to decision-makers, other environment professionals and organizational partners or planning professionals to help implementation happen in the future.
HOW TO USE IT ONLINE
Virtual tour and online discussion.
RESOURCES NEEDED
- Time to do: The time needed to undertake a walk and talk sessions depends upon the questions you ask and who you are talking to. In general, you should allow at 0,5-1 hour to undertake each walk and talk session, bearing in mind that the timing of the session can always run over or under. Also, do not forget to build in time to write up notes and observations from the tour.
- Staff: at least one facilitator
- Equipment:
- Maps of the area with highlighted stops.
- Clipboards
- Pens or pencils
- Other materials provided to participants (observation sheets, base maps, rating scales, etc.
SUITABLE FOR
- 6-8 people per group
HOW TO DO IT
1. Provide participants with a map on which stops are marked.
2. The organizers will lead the walk with selected stops determined in advance and listed. At each stop have participants exchange perspectives and write down notes on things they notice.
3. Once you have completed your walk, discuss participants’ experiences. Ask a few open-ended questions to encourage discussion around possible improvements.
4. Collect all the participants’ maps and audit pages, and compile the data on you walking interviews.
5. You may conduct the follow up interviews after some time of the walk, inform participants about this.
ADVANTAGES
- Particularly useful for evaluating location-based projects/activities
- Helps to collect valuable qualitative data
- The information collected by a walk and talk session (e.g. photographs, comments on a map) can be used to provoke discussion in a focus group or workshop.
- Possibility to build up a multi-dimensioned understanding of an issue
- Might be used as a reflective tool
CHALLENGIES
- Ensure that all parties know what the walk and talk involves, how long it lasts and that they may be asked to take photographs.
- Walk and talk sessions do take time to organise, conduct and analyse. There is a limit to how many walking interviews you can conduct, but if you organise them well you can pack a lot into a short time period.
- It is important to remember that people’s perception of an activity will change over time. Walking interviews that are held sometime after an activity is completed need to be qualified by the term ‘with hindsight’. As an aside, it is always interesting and useful to see what people remember and how they remember it, and what is still important to those involved in an activity week or months later.
- Walking interviews are unpredictable. Some will be rewarding, providing you with more information than you anticipated and perhaps the opportunity for a new project; however, some might be brief and uninformative.
- In case of bad weather, reduce the number of stops and amount of information to record and plan to hold the discussion periods in a sheltered area.
- Assure participants that their response will be confidential.
VARIATIONS
Emotional mapping
This tool allows participants to explore their emotional responses while moving through their neighbourhoods. Use a printed base map, a colour key representing different emotions and stickers or markers. Allow participants to map out their emotions as they walk. This tool can be used independently in people’s free time or as a facilitated group walk.