30 minutes (5 minutes to describe objects 10 minutes to teach D.I.E.; 15 minutes in small groups; 30 minutes to debrief)
Work L P, T, D, M
1. To clarify the differences between description (D), interpretation (I), and evaluation (E)
2. To demonstrate that people tend to begin with interpretation and evaluation, rarely description
3. To demonstrate how personal experiences and cultural values influence our interpretation and evaluation
4. To provide practice in describing, stressing the importance of observation
• 1 or 2 ambiguous objects
• Flipchart
• At least one picture from a different cultural setting, either national or workplace, for every five members
1. Introduce an ambiguous object (kitchen gadget, tool from another country, etc.), something you feel confident that participants will not have seen before. Pass the object around and ask participants, “Tell me something about it.” Chart responses on a sheet of paper in three unlabeled columns representing Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation.
2. Present the concept of D.I.E.
Description |
What I see |
It is metal. It is gold. |
Interpretation |
What I think about what I see |
It is jewelry. |
Evaluation |
What I feel about what I see |
It is beautiful. |
3. Ask participants to generate alternative interpretations and evaluations.
4. Place participants in groups of 5 and give each group a picture from a different cultural setting. Ask the groups to discuss the picture using the D.I.E. technique: describe, interpret, and evaluate.
5. Ask the groups to show their pictures and share their responses.
1. What happened? What was most difficult? Easiest? Why?
2. How did you feel when you were asked to describe without interpreting or evaluating?
3. How might personal or cultural values influence the interpretation or evaluation?
4. What did you learn?
5. How can you use what you learned in your everyday life?
1. People tend to jump to interpretations and evaluations without first describing and entertaining alternative interpretations and evaluations.
2. Our interpretations and evaluations are based on our own experience and cultural learning.
3. When we can first describe, then look for alternative interpretations and evaluations, we are likely to be more accurate and more effective cross-culturally.
1. Teach the participants D.I.E. as an effective communication tool. Place D = Describe, I = Interpret, and E = Evaluate on a flipchart. Ask people which of these we typically do when we first observe someone else’s behavior. They will probably say “evaluate” or “interpret.” Point out that if you first interpret and then evaluate—or first evaluate and then interpret—you are doing so from your own perspective. A more effective way to learn about others and avoid misinterpretations is to describe the others’ behavior objectively and then ask them to interpret it for you from their perspective. Then you can evaluate it with both your perspective and theirs in mind.
2. Give an illustration that makes sense for the setting in which you are using the activity. For example, I might dislike a co-worker (evaluation) and consider her rude (interpretation) because she doesn’t greet me in the morning (description). I might say to her one day, “Every morning when I pass you in the hall and say good morning, you do not respond. Help me understand what that is about.” (Note: The tone with which you ask the question is important—be sure it is neutral and information seeking, not judgmental) She might respond by saying, “Wow! I hadn’t even noticed that. I begin my morning by trying to get focused on my most important tasks for the day, and when I do that, I often don’t notice anything around me. I am really sorry. I certainly never intended to be rude or to offend you.” Might I now interpret and evaluate the behavior differently? Give the participants time to respond.
3. Conduct an unrehearsed role play with your cotrainer, a teacher, or a participant by spontaneously asking him or her for something. For example, ask him (or her) for the D.I.E. handouts you requested. Play this out for 1 or 2 minutes, insisting that you gave him the handouts and asking him to search his briefcase or his materials, and so on. Finally, give up (throw your arms up) and say, “That’s okay, I’ll just use the flipchart.”
Note: You can prepare someone for this, but it needs to look spontaneous and authentic. If you don’t have a cotrainer and use a participant, be sure to use someone who will not be embarrassed or offended. And be sure to thank that person when you are finished for allowing you to “play” with her or him.
4. Turn to the flipchart and draw a line down the middle. Ask the participants, “What did you just see?” After every two or three responses, repeat “What did you just see?” Write down their responses, with interpretations and evaluations on one side and descriptions on the other side. You will rarely get many descriptions. Most of the responses will be, for instance, “surprise,” “disorganization,” “irritation,” “frustration,” “blame,” and so forth. Keep asking the question until you have a substantial list.
5. Point out that you have interpretations and evaluations on one side and descriptions on the other. Point out that even though you have just taught them a new tool, they still jumped to interpretations and evaluations when you asked them what they saw. Acknowledge that D.I.E. is not easy to use but that it is a critical tool for cross-cultural effectiveness: I cannot know what your behavior means unless I ask you. Urge the participants to practice using D.I.E. over the next few days and assure them that it will get easier as they do so.
Note: If the group has used more descriptive language than interpretations and evaluations, acknowledge it, congratulate them, and encourage them to continue using descriptions as often as possible.
The D.I.E. activity was created some time ago and is now considered public domain. This particular activity was adapted from Milton and Janet Bennett’s version, Intercultural Communication Institute, Portland, Oregon.