Tool/Kit Development

Following the tool/kit playtest of my Keywords workshop I decided to make a number of changes in order to better facilitate participant contribution. Using the Keywords title as a prompt, I developed a more coherent set of instructions which can be summarized as follows:

  • The Keywords workshop is a means for participants to share and exchange information by means of short phrases or “keywords”
  • Each participant will generate one or more of their own “keywords”, which will each be written on a small, keychain-sized slip of paper or card; each keyword should allude to or represent a starting point for further research – this could be the name of an artist, artwork, historical event, a band or song, author or book, web page, essay, theory or concept, tradition or practice, and so on; the more obscure or interesting the keyword, the better
  • Participants will then add their “keywords” to a central display or collection of other keywords, while also removing from the collection a different keyword of their choice, which can then be taken home with them; participants should be encouraged to choose a new keyword which is interesting or unfamiliar to them – something that they may like to research later
  • The form of the “keyword” object does of course lend itself to use as a keyring – this could be pointed out to participants, though is not strictly necessary
  • This process can be repeated and continued indefinitely, as long as at least one new keyword is added for each one which is removed, in order to maintain a stable “stock” of keywords

Based on these instructions, I think that the allotted 15 minutes is more than enough time to complete the workshop, and in fact participants might be able to contribute several different keywords over the course of the session. There is also the possibility of the workshop running in a more relaxed way, with people “dropping in / out” in between other workshops, or as and when they have an idea of something to add.

Experiments in using found text to make Keywords
Experiments in using found text to make Keywords

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