Reconstruct memories. Relive moments.
Our approach to interviewing makes use of memory reconstruction techniques that evoke rich narratives of past experiences. We reconstruct memories to relive moments.
Narratives of actual experiences
This type of interview generates a rich account of customer interactions with brands, products and categories by having participants recall memories in a manner similar to replaying scenes from a movie. By focusing on the reconstruction of experiences rather than the deconstruction of intention we gain a clearer understanding of the specific experiences and the associated drivers of behavior.
traveling back in time to recall emotions
In a thought provoking research paper on cognitive interviewing, Anjali Puri makes a compelling case for memory reconstruction interviews. Citing studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging, her paper describes how these techniques can "create the mental conditions suitable for reliving an experience and accessing the emotional state associated with the experience." In many ways, it is like a form of mental time travel.
rethinking the way to interview
It is time to rethink the conventional approaches to qualitative interviews. Memory reconstruction is an unconventional technique that can reveal compelling insights.
“As you search for memories of a particular event, your brain state progressively comes to resemble the state it was in when you initially experienced the event ... memory retrieval is like revisiting the past; brain patterns that are long gone can be revived by the memory system.”
