The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of participatory practices as a research methodology based on a reflexive analytical method. Examples will be derived from applying design thinking, storytelling and appreciative inquiry in a partnership project with three businesses. Two questions drive the reflexive analysis: How can participatory practice be applied as an empirical method that serves both data collection and organizational development? What can we learn from the application of storytelling, appreciative inquiry and design thinking to inform the development of research methods as part of the interactive design approach? This analysis contributes to the development of interactive research design as an approach to studying organizations in the VUCA landscape and the emergence paradigm in quality.
Reimagining research methods in organisations as living organisms is conceptualized at the intersection between science and practice and contributes to the ongoing discussion about the use of interactive design (Ellström et al., 2020; Johnson & Wallo, 2020) generative scholarship (Pavez et al., 2021) as an applied-based research methodology.