Chapter 3 analyses the methodology that underpinned the empirical research reported in this book and raises methodological questions about what it means to discuss "learning lives". It describes the three cohorts we followed over 2 years across various sites – from home, with peers and at school. Cohort 1 comprised of four children aged five when we first met them: cohort 2 comprised young people in their final year at lower secondary school at first meeting; and cohort three young people in their last year of statutory education. The chapter describes the different kinds of schools they attended locates where they lived in Groruddalen. It also describes the range of data collected. The second part of the chapter explicates the analytical work we did in transforming data into narrative using two case studies. The chapter concludes by positioning this research design and this research approach within the wider tradition that explores learning identity, learning lives and social change.