Creating an FCM with Participants in an Interview or Workshop Setting

Research design for FCM studies involving people is not always linear. Several decision factors can take priority over each other, such as identifying whose knowledge to represent, how the data will be collected, and the best process for what they are going to represent. In this chapter, we focus on matching the study goals or research questions with the context of the study and who the participants are and how (or if?) you have access to them to collect FCMs. The chapter starts by examining four significant choices for study design: (1) individual versus group modeling, (2) participant versus facilitator mapping, (3) hand-drawn models versus modeling software, and (4) pre-defined versus open-ended concepts. We explain advantages and disadvantages of common methods in the field for each of these aspects of study design, such that researchers can identify suitable methods for their application context. Then, we cover other considerations for data collection such as participant recruitment and best practices for facilitation. Upon completion of this chapter, readers would be able to draft a data collection plan and put it to practice. The hands-on exercises included at the end of this chapter provide scenarios to practice facilitation skills.