Comments on: The fall and rise of the case study http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study Writing, marketing and technology Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:56:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: How to write great case studies - Bad Language http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-765549 How to write great case studies - Bad Language Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:23:58 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-765549 [...] The fall and rise of the case study [...] [...] The fall and rise of the case study [...]

]]> By: John Monk http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-418330 John Monk Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:41:06 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-418330 Nice article that tickled my mind - and as a non-professional in this field it does help to get some insight into how you guys work. On the calendar side, try www.bookingcalendar.com as it does the Outlook integration that you are after Nice article that tickled my mind – and as a non-professional in this field it does help to get some insight into how you guys work.
On the calendar side, try http://www.bookingcalendar.com as it does the Outlook integration that you are after

]]> By: Golden Practices http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-306322 Golden Practices Sun, 11 Nov 2007 04:44:46 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-306322 <strong>Writing Great Case Studies or "Customer Evidence"...</strong> We know that claiming ourselves to be 'all that' is pretty meaningless. And someone else claiming it, or implying it by working successfully with us, has much more credibility. An effective way to get this across is to tell stories about what we can ... Writing Great Case Studies or “Customer Evidence”…

We know that claiming ourselves to be ‘all that’ is pretty meaningless. And someone else claiming it, or implying it by working successfully with us, has much more credibility. An effective way to get this across is to tell stories about what we can …

]]> By: » Professional Writers Can Make Your Words Sing http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-273599 » Professional Writers Can Make Your Words Sing Sun, 14 Oct 2007 15:20:16 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-273599 [...] writing style and language may suit a sales letter, but will not be suitable for a report or case study. Both have a different purpose and different audience. For an effective result, these [...] [...] writing style and language may suit a sales letter, but will not be suitable for a report or case study. Both have a different purpose and different audience. For an effective result, these [...]

]]> By: Marketing For Nerds http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-116123 Marketing For Nerds Thu, 17 May 2007 12:28:09 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-116123 [...] Maggio 2007 a 2:26 pm · Archiviato in marketing Matthew Stibbe su Bad Language riflette sulla funzione dei case study, mettendo in evidenza una serie di “sintomi” e [...] [...] Maggio 2007 a 2:26 pm · Archiviato in marketing Matthew Stibbe su Bad Language riflette sulla funzione dei case study, mettendo in evidenza una serie di “sintomi” e [...]

]]> By: Matthew Stibbe http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-111214 Matthew Stibbe Sun, 13 May 2007 10:26:08 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-111214 With the diary thing, it really needs to integrate with the Microsoft Outlook calendar I use everyday. I've experimented extensively with Google Calendar and integrating it with Outlook but it doesn't quite get there. With the diary thing, it really needs to integrate with the Microsoft Outlook calendar I use everyday. I’ve experimented extensively with Google Calendar and integrating it with Outlook but it doesn’t quite get there.

]]> By: Josh Adams http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-111205 Josh Adams Sun, 13 May 2007 10:13:52 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-111205 "I would love - LOVE - to find a similar system that would let people book up interviews with me; at times when I am free and which suit them." Have you tried Google Calendar (calendar.google.com)? It integrates quite nicely with Gmail and like Gmail it is a free service. You can share your calendar with others or just a subset of it (eg, create and share a "work" calendar.) I've certainly enjoyed reading your Bad Language, keep up the great write! Cheers, Josh Adams “I would love – LOVE – to find a similar system that would let people book up interviews with me; at times when I am free and which suit them.”

Have you tried Google Calendar (calendar.google.com)? It integrates quite nicely with Gmail and like Gmail it is a free service. You can share your calendar with others or just a subset of it (eg, create and share a “work” calendar.)

I’ve certainly enjoyed reading your Bad Language, keep up the great write!

Cheers,
Josh Adams

]]> By: Matthew Stibbe http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-108945 Matthew Stibbe Fri, 11 May 2007 05:52:06 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-108945 This is an extraordinary thread of comments. You have really got to grips with the nature and purpose of case studies. I have found it really instructive and insightful. Thank you! I'm really interested in Jeff's analysis of the case study. I'm not sure that companies want to go to the extent of a Harvard Business School case study; but I am tempted to agree that the term has been borrowed by marketing/PR to lend dignity to what would otherwise be an endorsement. I also really like his idea that a case study his more history than journalism. I studied history and there's something impressive about the best historical writers: reverence for data combined with the imaginative ability of a story teller. I'm reading NAM Rodger's Safeguard of the Sea and that's a good example of what I'm talking about. Interestingly, I hear Microsoft call their 'case studies' customer evidence all the time; but in my experience they rarely or never depart from the traditional case study format. This is especially true of material destined for their global case study database. I have sometimes had to rewrite or edit work to conform to the standard format in order to get it approved. This is an extraordinary thread of comments. You have really got to grips with the nature and purpose of case studies. I have found it really instructive and insightful. Thank you!

I’m really interested in Jeff’s analysis of the case study. I’m not sure that companies want to go to the extent of a Harvard Business School case study; but I am tempted to agree that the term has been borrowed by marketing/PR to lend dignity to what would otherwise be an endorsement.

I also really like his idea that a case study his more history than journalism. I studied history and there’s something impressive about the best historical writers: reverence for data combined with the imaginative ability of a story teller. I’m reading NAM Rodger’s Safeguard of the Sea and that’s a good example of what I’m talking about.

Interestingly, I hear Microsoft call their ‘case studies’ customer evidence all the time; but in my experience they rarely or never depart from the traditional case study format. This is especially true of material destined for their global case study database. I have sometimes had to rewrite or edit work to conform to the standard format in order to get it approved.

]]> By: Jeff Younger http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-108884 Jeff Younger Fri, 11 May 2007 04:40:49 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-108884 Microsoft may be doing more than renaming case studies. They may recognize an important rhetorical distinction, one forgotten by many marketing and PR departments. Case studies differ from "customer evidence" and from feature stories by intention, object, method, and presentation. A case study is a research report, not a feature story, not a "customer success story." To understand the intention of a case study, I suggest this link: http://www.hbs.edu/case/ Case studies ought to provide proxy experience for the reader. In this sense, the intention of a case study is identical to that of a feature story. But while features aim to produce an emotional effect, case studies aim to provide proxy experience. Case studies allow executives to "war game" scenarios in their organizations. A case study may be the only writing product that can do that. Case studies do not report on people or products or companies. Case studies report on a particular attempt to USE people, products, and companies to achieve a particular END. Case studies are always particular and always focused on means and ends. Because case studies are particular, any attempt to turn them into general marketing tools is an error. Case studies are historical documents, so the methods of historical research are best for producing them. Case studies present proxy experience. The reader should be asking questions. "Was that the right thing to do?" "What if I did that?" "What if my competitors did that?" "What if they had XXX instead of YYY?" The case study should provide enough information for the reader to mentally work out what would likely happen. Naturally, people have different experiences, and they answer questions differently. Different answers turn naturally into a direct discussion of ways and means in the reader's particular circumstances. A good case study is written and presented to make this transition from proxy experience to real situation fast, easy, and natural. Case studies are essentially good history. Their methods and writing style should reflect their nature. In my view, marketing and PR departments have misapplied the name 'case study' to marketing products. Why? Because they want the gravitas of research --- without the messy complications. My two cents. Microsoft may be doing more than renaming case studies. They may recognize an important rhetorical distinction, one forgotten by many marketing and PR departments. Case studies differ from “customer evidence” and from feature stories by intention, object, method, and presentation. A case study is a research report, not a feature story, not a “customer success story.” To understand the intention of a case study, I suggest this link: http://www.hbs.edu/case/

Case studies ought to provide proxy experience for the reader. In this sense, the intention of a case study is identical to that of a feature story. But while features aim to produce an emotional effect, case studies aim to provide proxy experience. Case studies allow executives to “war game” scenarios in their organizations. A case study may be the only writing product that can do that.

Case studies do not report on people or products or companies. Case studies report on a particular attempt to USE people, products, and companies to achieve a particular END. Case studies are always particular and always focused on means and ends. Because case studies are particular, any attempt to turn them into general marketing tools is an error.

Case studies are historical documents, so the methods of historical research are best for producing them. Case studies present proxy experience. The reader should be asking questions. “Was that the right thing to do?” “What if I did that?” “What if my competitors did that?” “What if they had XXX instead of YYY?” The case study should provide enough information for the reader to mentally work out what would likely happen. Naturally, people have different experiences, and they answer questions differently. Different answers turn naturally into a direct discussion of ways and means in the reader’s particular circumstances.

A good case study is written and presented to make this transition from proxy experience to real situation fast, easy, and natural. Case studies are essentially good history. Their methods and writing style should reflect their nature.

In my view, marketing and PR departments have misapplied the name ‘case study’ to marketing products. Why? Because they want the gravitas of research — without the messy complications.

My two cents.

]]> By: RBL http://www.badlanguage.net/the-fall-and-rise-of-the-case-study/comment-page-1#comment-108205 RBL Thu, 10 May 2007 15:45:15 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=436#comment-108205 I think writers get hung up on the words, "case study". It's interesting that Microsoft (who I too have written for) moved away from calling them case studies, preferring "customer evidence" instead. That wording best describes their use and purpose: to interest the media in any reporting potential, and to endorse claims made by salespersons. I doubt anyone ever made a buying decision based on a case study. But confidence in making buying decisions is bolstered every day through their use. I see them as little more than on-the-record endorsements -- and I think readers see them that way, too. I think writers get hung up on the words, “case study”. It’s interesting that Microsoft (who I too have written for) moved away from calling them case studies, preferring “customer evidence” instead. That wording best describes their use and purpose: to interest the media in any reporting potential, and to endorse claims made by salespersons. I doubt anyone ever made a buying decision based on a case study. But confidence in making buying decisions is bolstered every day through their use. I see them as little more than on-the-record endorsements — and I think readers see them that way, too.

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