KRYPTOS FILES (Codes and Ciphers With Articles and Lectures)

Five Rules of Observation

1. ORDINARY
- Look for the ordinary not the extraordinary, but do note anything that surprises you. These can challenge our preconceptions and help us to keep an open mind. Identify also all the details of the ordinary event, things that were never noticed or thought about before.

2. ATTENTIVE
- Be careful to record only what you see and hear. Don't start analysing what you think is going on or you will certainly miss something.

3. ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE
- This is the reason why you need to remain attentive, so you get an accurate record of what is happening. Keep notes of what you see, when and where, and how people behave. Also pay particular attention to your body language. Keep asking yourself (at least at first) why? Even if something appears obvious, the reason may not be what you thought it was, so keep asking this vital question.

- This form of iterative investigating is often referred to as the "Five Whys." The technique involves asking the question a minimum of five times to ensure you cover every angle.

4. TIMING
- Observe and understand what is going on before and after the event, as well as during the event you are observing itself. The event needs to be put into the context of time and place within a person's lifestyle and habits. This is the only way to understand its relevance. Also, be patient, as people often change behaviour when being watched, at least to start with. Give them a chance to relax and feel comfortable with being observed, so they'll think that the recording is finished and so relax and completely open up.

5. DEBRIEF AND ANALYSIS
- Observation is most valuable if it is completed by an immediate debriefing session. Observers can together share, ask questions and start to analyse what they have seen and heard.

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