Warm Data Labs are new approaches to addressing the complexity of multiple interacting (i.e., transcontextual) systems with the possibility of fostering changes to these systems. Warm Data Labs have been taking place around the world in a wide variety of contexts including technology, government, education, social and psychological services, medical services, and groups and organizations concerned with environmental issues. Previous participants consider Warm Data Labs to be essential to the processes of change in living and social systems.
Warm data labs provide insights into the nature and dynamics of complex living systems, which in turn allow us to begin unraveling the interdependencies that characterize these systems. Such interdependencies are often embedded in emotions, aesthetics, values, and other aspects of our ways of knowing. If we do not include such warm data in our efforts to make changes that will impact the major issues facing humanity, we will continue to confront the same patterns of problems we’ve been encountering for decades.
If you and your organization are interested in participating in Warm Data Labs to better inform your efforts for social, political, health, economic, educational, environmental, and/or other concerns, please contact me for information on planning for and scheduling Warm Data Labs and associated workshops.
Warm Data Labs
Developed by Nora Bateson, warm data labs are exercises for use with groups who are interested in strengthening and further practicing their collective ability to perceive, discuss, and research complex issues. By shifting perspectives, the Warm Data Lab process increases our abilities to respond to difficult or “wicked” issues. Because so many of the challenges that we face now are complex, such as immigration, addiction, wealth gap, and health. Therefore, we need approaches to meeting this complexity that reach beyond static analysis. Although there is a desire to reframe these complex issues in simple terms that might lend themselves to easy solutions, this usually leads to the dangers of unintended consequences of reductionism… and further problems.
But, thinking in complexity requires the ability to perceive across multiple perspectives and contexts. This is not a muscle that has been trained into us in school or in the work world. It is a skill acutely needed in this era to meet our personal, professional and collective need to respond to crisis, and to improve our lives.
The Warm Data Lab is a living kaleidoscope of conversation in which information and formulation of cross contextual knowing are generated. The conversational process is designed to seamlessly engage multiple theoretical principles in a practical format. The process relies on using two concepts: Transcontextual Interaction and Symmathesy.~Nora Bateson (2018)
Resources on Warm Data
- Nora Bateson –Blog: “Warm Data: Contextual Research and New forms of Information”
- Nora Bateson – Blog: “Digging into Warm Data, The Warm Data Lab, and Certified Training”
- Jeff Bloom – Medium: “The Untimely Death of Integrity: And… Cold Data vs. Warm Data”
For more information about:
Warm Data & Warm Data Labs, please click here.
Scheduling Warm Data Labs, Talks, & Workshops
Please contact me to arrange for Warm Data Labs, as well as any related talks, seminars, and workshops.
The minimum number of participants for Warm Data Labs is 25 people. The minimum period of time necessary is 2-4 hours, but longer is highly recommended.
I am now an International Bateson Institute certified Warm Data Lab host.
Studying the work of James Moffett, author of “The Universal Schoolhouse; Spiritual Awakening Through Education” and reading Nora Bateson at the same time I keep feeling connections that I want to continue to explore.
Cross-connecting/Googling both “Bateson and meditation” I came across your site and blogs. Do you know if Gregory Bateson meditated? Did he write about it? Last question-Do you know the work of James Moffett? Peace.
Sheryl — Thanks for your comment. I don’t think Gregory Bateson meditated, at least not in any formal and long-term sense. However, he was closely associated with Chögyam Trungpa and Naropa Institute (now University), where he taught a number of classes and gave a number of lectures. Naropa Institue was founded in 1974 and Bateson was one of the original teachers. I was a student of Trungpa’s and took Bateson’s class, which was a 5-week, live-in workshop on learning and education, during the summer of 1975. We had a meditation period every day, but I don’t remember Bateson joining us for those sessions. However, he was quite knowledgeable of the techniques and the major teachings associated with meditation. I suspect Trunpa liked Bateson a lot because of Bateson’s fundamental sanity and not getting wrapped up in egocentric patterns of self-justification, etc. And, I think Trungpa also liked Bateson’s sharp intellect and sense of humor. Also, Bateson died in a Zen Center in northern California, which was a choice he made as a place of sanity for his final days. As for whether he wrote about meditation, nothing comes to mind immediately. Personally, I found that, at least for Buddhist meditation, there was a lot of resonance between the teachings of Buddhism and Bateson’s ideas. — And, as for James Moffett… his name sounds vaguely familiar, but I haven’t read any of his work, but thanks for the heads-up. My professional life was officially focused on science education, so most of my work focused on that area and any tangentially relevant areas. But, in my “real” life, my interests go way beyond the bounds of science and education. So, in my retirement, I’m finding at least some time, to read and explore areas I was too busy to explore while working…. makes no sense that in academia you don’t have time to explore, but then that comes with the corporatization of education (at all levels). — Thanks again for writing. If you want to communicate further, you can write here or make an initial connection through the “contact” form on this site. — Best wishes! Jeff