ABSTRACT
This chapter reports a research technology which is intrinsically qualitative but which goes beyond the usual limits. It not only creates an analysis of the cognitive structures underlying people’s evaluations and decisions: it enables estimates to be made of the relative importance of different components of their thinking, and can provide a framework for subsequent quantitative research. Because the techniques offer new possibilities they have found extensive use in both basic and applied research. The rationale of the method is described, then it is illustrated through its application in constructing a performance indicator for the BBC World Service. The illustration provides a step-by-step account of the process of such research, but necessarily in a summary form. The account may be used either as a framework for researchers to create similar processes for their own needs, or as a way of judging the potential usefulness of the approach before following up the sources in more detail.
