At the outset, I spoke about the importance of the initial understanding of a skill and essentially how embedding basic knowledge is key to developing the skill to then advance tacit knowledge. I gave the example of performing shoulder-in on a horse, this could also be going back over lesson notes/videos to embed the information learned. But there is another way we can think about tacit knowledge which Barbara Bolt (2010, p. 29) describes as “material thinking” this is the knowing that arises through handling materials in a practice. Each practice has its own materials (or tools) which vary from discipline to discipline, but these materials are not just passive objects but are used instrumentally by the individual to achieve an outcome (Barrett and Bolt, 2010, p. 29). Whether that be a painting, creating a garment or a movement on a horse, each material will be used and applied differently by each person. Bolt is an Australian academic and a painter herself, therefore her thoughts and reflections come first-hand. She unpicks the meaning of material thinking in comparison to Paul Carter’s book Material Thinking, she agrees with Carter that the joining of hand, eye and mind is where material thinking occurs (Barrett and Bolt, 2010, p. 30), but she disagrees when Carter believes that talking about practice with writers also contributes to the overall material thinking. Bolt believes talking about the work can articulate realisations but does not believe it can contribute to the tacit knowing of material thinking. I can understand Bolt’s perspective, as she appears to be thinking about the doing action or working with the materials to create something however, I think Carter’s talking to someone else (which doesn’t need to be a writer in any case) can also contribute to material thinking if you frame material thinking (the physical act of working with materials) as part of the development of tacit knowledge or knowing, then, I do also think talking about materials, tools, concepts, aids etc. does actually help in the development of tacit knowledge. For me, tacit knowledge should always be advancing, and I think it is important in any practice you engage with. Tacit knowledge is what sets you apart from others and can be gained in a multitude of ways.
When I think about tacit knowledge in regard to my own (research) practice and when teaching students I really do believe in the development of a skill by repetition (Denning and Dunham, 2012, p. 18). Anyone can teach you how to do something, but for you to achieve mastery you need to put in the hours and practice and experiment to advance your tacit knowledge, but this can also include ‘sidebar’ conversations with colleagues, students, or experts, which also contribute to your understanding. An example, last year I had training on a software called Optitex, for each 3hr session it probably took me 6hrs to go over the content to a point where I felt comfortable with that information, but since then I have experimented further using the techniques and tips and tricks learnt to apply to my own garments. This has allowed me to develop my knowledge further, ask more questions and discover beyond what my previous knowledge was. The nuances of each practice cannot be explicitly learned but come afterwards with experimentation and a deeper understanding of the skill.
Tacit knowledge is what sets creative practices apart. When we look at social sciences, they always talk about things needing to be repeatable (Snyder, 2019). But when we consider creative practice is anything repeatable? If more than one person was asked to draw a curve what are the chances that both curves would be the same…. impossible. There are so many different factors that can change or determine a person’s response – their culture, upbringing, learning difficulties such as dyslexia, mood etc. – all affect each individual’s interpretation and understanding. But this is also what makes creative practice exciting as there isn’t always a defined path to follow and depending on what materials are used and the individual’s tacit knowing will determine the outcome. This is what is so magical about tacit knowledge it is the unknown, the knowledge which cannot be documented verbatim and the knowing which allows for innovation.
References
Barrett, E. and Bolt, B. (2010) Practice as Research: Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry. Reprint edition. London: I B Tauris & Co Ltd.
Denning, P.J. and Dunham, R. (2012) The Innovator’s Way: Essential Practices for Successful Innovation. The MIT Press.
Snyder, H. (2019) ‘Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines’, Journal of Business Research, 104, pp. 333–339. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039.