HEURISTIC INQUIRY AND OBSERVATION

The Sage Fusion Framework uses heuristic inquiry as a qualitative research method rooted in experiential knowing. We apply heuristic observation according to the processes developed by Clark Moustakas in 1990.  The heuristic inquiry process begins with a question or problem that the researcher (which in this case is you) is trying to understand or resolve. 

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Because heuristic inquiry is so personal in its structure, the question must be one that holds a personal challenge and creates a sense of puzzlement in the individual's search to understand their self and the world around them. 

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Key Insights about Heuristic Inquiry: 

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🔍 It invites individuals to become investigators of their own inner lives by systematically exploring lived experiences. in 

 

• In practice, heuristic observation is a structured self-reflection process where participants track emotions, thoughts, reactions, and behaviors

 

• in real time—gathering data from their daily lives as a source of insight.

 

Heuristic methods foster deep awareness by:

 

• Encouraging self-observation without judgment

 

• Surfacing unconscious patterns, habits, and internal narratives

 

• Revealing how values, biases, and beliefs influence perception and behavior

 

In coaching and learning environments, heuristic inquiry becomes a powerful tool for personal growth, identity exploration, and alignment between stated values and lived actions.

 

It centers the participant’s lived experience as legitimate research data—empowering them to discover meaning through self-guided exploration.