Watching, listening and recording people in their own environments, when they are doing their own things which are not led by you. Being present in spaces with community groups in and doing observational drawing, note taking and reflective writing – perhaps taking photos or videos. You might do this once, or twice, or many times regularly over many weeks or months.

The 'fly on the wall' bit is misleading. You are never invisible and I don't think it is
something to aim for (we are never sneakily recording people, it needs to be something that is consented to and transparent). We aren't neutral either – our specific bodies and faces take up space in their room, our energy or our tiredness or nervousness or confidence is something that people will be able to feel, and people can feel our gaze when we draw them and write notes on what they are doing. What you see and record will always be impacted by your presence there in some way. So this is something to be aware of, and something to remind your book commissioner when organising this sort of book work.

With this approach, you are invited in as an observer, and the commissioner is interested in a 'fresh' or 'outsider' view of the activity they undertake with participants. You are commissioned to see and listen and then interpret – and they have agreed that what you make will be your interpretation as a book maker and the story will not be a collaboration or further informed by the team or participants. If so, and if this type of approach is appropriate and comfortable for your community group, then it's time to morph into Book Machine and make the final outcome without further consultation. (If not, keep reading.)

If you are going to invite co-creation into the sense-making/ story-making processes then you might morph into Tennis Racket.

If the live illustration/ note taking thing is the right approach but your commissioner needs the book to have a certain theme or tell a particular story, then morph straight into World Builder.

Morphing gone wrong? You can Start Over.

If the commissioner needs the book to be about something in particular, or on a theme or in response to something, you can build a 'world' for a community group to respond to. This might look like dressing a room like it is an immersive theatre set, or even as escape room. You could leave little clues, messages in bottles, secret characters hiding in boxes. Or, it might be as simple as providing a box or envelope or tray of objects which link to the theme for participants to explore them on a sensory level and/or make drawings or writing in response.
Are your participants are responding to the 'world' you have created without needing you to 'activate' the environment and resources? Great. You could morph into Fly On the Wall With A Sketchbook, and start recording what you see as if it is a live, improvised play happening in front of your eyes. You are going to get drawings, writing and stories directly informed by the community group – but on the right sort of theme. You can also scoop up any drawings or mark makings or writing made by the group, and add that in the book alongside your own art and writing.

Or, have you noticed that some participants have started inventing their own stories, creating new characters, and generally taking the story in a completely new direction? AND is your commissioner happy with the book departing from the set theme, as it is more important to them that the book is participant-led? If yes and yes, it's time to morph into Technician. Enjoy!

Or, have your participants really enjoyed exploring the world you have made for them? Is the book about giving more groups to opportunity to explore a similar world and prompt similar conversations, or even to support group leaders to do a similar thing in their settings? If so, it's time to gather up any drawings or photos or writing the group made during the session, bag up all the materials and objects that made the world, and morph into Book Machine.

Morphing in a muddle? You can Start Over.