"Guided tour": A method for deepening the relational quality in narrative research

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, to provide a description and theoretical rationale for a methodological innovation used to explore relationships visitors form with a single museum over time; and second, to examine and critique the research outcomes in light of this approach. Design/methodology/approach: To probe individual relationships with a museum, in this narrative inquiry, a unique method of data generation was developed - a "guided tour" of the museum. The guided tour, led by participants, provided a context and purpose for rich conversations between researcher and participant and deepened the relational quality of the research. Findings: The quality of the researcher-participant relationship played a critical role in shaping understandings, gained through the research process, about the phenomenon under investigation and self. Research limitations/implications: Findings from the study document that novel insights emerge when opportunities to strengthen the researcher-participant relationship are built into the research design. Originality/value: This paper illustrates the value of employing strategies that deepen the relational quality in narrative research