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Our Research Methodology

400+ hours per framework, source-based, culturally respectful

The Standard

Every framework on GriotsWell represents a minimum of 400 hours of dedicated research.

Not 400 hours total across all frameworks.

400+ hours PER FRAMEWORK.

What 400 Hours Looks Like

Phase 1: Source Material Discovery (80-100 hours)

  • Locating pre-colonial recordings and ethnographic studies
  • Finding academic papers from cultural researchers (not Western interpreters)
  • Accessing oral tradition archives and historical documentation
  • Identifying authentic source texts in original or translated forms
  • Verifying credibility and cultural proximity of researchers

Phase 2: Pattern Identification (120-150 hours)

  • Reading/listening to 20-50+ examples from the tradition
  • Mapping recurring structural elements
  • Identifying what makes this architecture UNIQUE (not variations of Western structures)
  • Understanding cultural context that shapes the structure
  • Documenting time concepts, causality patterns, resolution types

Phase 3: Architectural Mapping (80-100 hours)

  • Defining the organizational system (web, spiral, cyclical, geographic, etc.)
  • Mapping how narrative elements connect
  • Understanding the structure's internal logic
  • Identifying core beats/moments that define the architecture
  • Creating visual representations of the structure

Phase 4: Cultural Context Integration (60-80 hours)

  • Understanding WHY this structure exists in this culture
  • Learning the worldview that shaped the architecture
  • Researching proper terminology and pronunciation
  • Ensuring respectful presentation
  • Identifying appropriate attribution and acknowledgment

Phase 5: Modern Application (40-60 hours)

  • How contemporary writers use this structure
  • Translating traditional framework to modern storytelling
  • Creating practical prompts and guidance
  • Testing the structure's applicability across genres
  • Developing educational materials

Source-Based Research Principles

1. Prioritize Original Tradition Sources

We seek: Pre-colonial recordings, ethnographic studies from cultural researchers, academic papers by scholars from or deeply embedded in source cultures, oral tradition archives, historical texts in original or carefully translated forms.

We avoid: Colonial anthropology, Western interpretations claiming universal truths, secondhand scholarship, AI-generated summaries, Wikipedia as primary source.

2. Verify Cultural Proximity

Who conducted the research matters. We prioritize:

  • Researchers from the source culture
  • Long-term embedded ethnographers with deep cultural relationships
  • Academic work published in collaboration with cultural communities
  • Oral historians and tradition-keepers

3. Multiple Source Verification

We never rely on a single source for structural patterns. Patterns must appear across:

  • Multiple documented examples from the tradition
  • Academic consensus from cultural researchers
  • Consistency in oral tradition recordings
  • Historical documentation across time periods

4. Acknowledge Limitations

We clearly state when:

  • Research is limited by language barriers
  • Source material is incomplete
  • Interpretations may vary within the culture
  • Modern application differs from historical use
  • Western researcher bias may influence sources

What We're NOT Doing

✗ Surface-Level Cultural "Inspiration"

We don't create "culturally-inspired" structures by adding exotic flavor to Western frameworks. Anansi Web Pattern is NOT "Hero's Journey with African themes." It's a fundamentally different web architecture.

✗ Colonial Interpretation

We don't rely on 19th-20th century colonial anthropology that viewed non-Western cultures through evolutionary or superiority lenses. We seek pre-colonial sources and modern scholarship from cultural insiders.

✗ Universal Archetype Forcing

We don't force cultural structures into Joseph Campbell's monomyth or claim they're all variations of universal archetypes. We respect structural diversity.

✗ AI-Generated "Research"

We don't use AI to summarize cultures or generate structural frameworks. Every framework comes from human research using verified sources.

Example: Anansi Web Pattern Research

Here's what 400+ hours looked like for one specific framework:

Sources Consulted:

  • Akan oral tradition recordings (Ghana Archives)
  • Academic papers by Ghanaian folklorists
  • Ethnographic studies of Akan storytelling contexts
  • Caribbean Anansi tradition documentation (diaspora evolution)
  • Linguistic analysis of Akan narrative structure
  • 20+ recorded/transcribed Anansi stories analyzed for patterns

Key Findings:

  • Web architecture: multiple threads connecting (not linear plot)
  • Trickster wisdom: clever solutions, not heroic triumph
  • Pattern completion: story resolves when web is complete
  • Community focus: social relationships over individual achievement
  • Moral flexibility: success through cleverness, not virtue

Modern Application:

Developed prompts helping writers create multi-threaded narratives where storylines weave together into pattern completion, distinct from linear escalation structures.

Ongoing Research

Cultural storytelling traditions are living, evolving systems. Our research continues:

  • Community Partnerships: Building relationships with cultural organizations for verification and feedback
  • Updates: Revising frameworks when new scholarship emerges
  • Expansion: Adding more regional traditions with same research depth
  • Transparency: Acknowledging when interpretations are contested or uncertain

Questions About Our Research?

Email: hello@griotswell.com

We're happy to discuss sources, methodology, and cultural verification processes.