1. Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis and Making Mobiles
Ron Chenail
Nova Southeastern University

2. Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis
Many steps
Interrelated parts
Pragmatics and aesthetics
Can seem overly abstract and complex

4. Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis Main Processes
Epoché
Bracketing
Reduction
Variation
Synthesis

5. Epoché and Bracketing Setting aside prejudgments
Opening the research interview with an unbiased, receptive presence
Continuing this process throughout the analytical process

6. Phenomenological Reduction
Horizonalization: Every statement has equal value
Delimited Horizons or Meanings: Horizons that stand out as invariant qualities of the experience
Invariant Qualities and Themes: Non-repetitive, non-overlapping constituents clustered into themes

7. Phenomenological Reduction
Individual Textural Descriptions: An integration, descriptively, of the invariant textural constituents and themes of each research participant
Composite Textural Description: An integration of all of the individual textural descriptions into a group or universal textural description

8. Imaginative Variation
Vary Possible Meanings
Vary Perspectives of the Phenomenon: From different vantage points, such as opposite meanings and various roles
Free Fantasy Variations: Consider freely the possible structural qualities or dynamics that evoke the textural qualities

9. Imaginative Variation
Construct a list of structural qualities of the experience
Develop Structural Themes: Cluster the structural qualities into themes
Employ Universal Structures as Themes: Time, space, relationship to self, to others; bodily concerns, causal or intentional structures

10. Imaginative Variation
Individual Structural Descriptions: For each co-researcher, integrate the structural qualities and themes into an individual structural description of the experience
Composite Structural Description: An integration of all of the individual structural descriptions into a group or universal structural description

11. Synthesis
Synthesis of Composite Textural and Composite Structural Descriptions
Intuitively-reflectively integrate the composite textural and composite structural descriptions to develop a synthesis of the meanings and essences of the phenomenon or experience
Present findings

13. How To Make a Mobile
The Secret: Start from the bottom and work to the top. [Reduction to Synthesis]
There are many ways to design a work of hanging sculpture, and as many materials, [Many types of phenomenology]
but the assembly is always the same: start from the bottom [But the steps are basically the same].

15. Select and Arrange the Pieces [Reduction and Textual Description]
Find, create the shapes you wish [Horizonalization & Delimited Horizons].
Lay them on a large piece of paper and arrange them [Invariant Qualities and Themes].
Draw lines connecting the bottom or end pieces [Individual and Composite Textual Descriptions].

18. Begin Connecting the Pieces [Imaginative Variation]
Start with the small end pieces first [Individual Structural Descriptions].
Then connect the middle systems together [Composite Structural Descriptions]

21. Balance the Top [Synthesis]
The top bar is last [The Essence].
Connect the middle systems to the top bar [Intuitively-reflectively integrate the composite textural and composite structural descriptions].
Balance [Quality control].
Hang your new creation [Present your results]

25. Make Your Own Virtual Mobile
Go to the US National Gallery of Art Mobile Maker and have fun!

26. Credits
Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis slides excerpted from Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Color mobile slides are from Konrad's Mobiles
How to make a mobile slides excerpted from "Interactivity Kit" by Timothy Rose. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from

27. Contact Information
Ron Chenail
Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA