In the late 1980's the strategic planning literature was criticized by learning oriented advocats, arguing that the emphasize must be more on the ongoing construction of a strategic dialogue, downplaying the use of formal structures and plans (cf Mintzberg, 1987, 1994 and Ansoff, 1991). As a response to this debate, the strategy as a practice (S-AP) perspective emerged in the late 1990’s (Jonson et. al., 2003; Jarzabkowski et. al., 2007). This represented a change of focus to "the doing of strategy", driven by the belief that, in order to understand strategic practices in organizations (including both planning and learning aspects), we have to dig deeper, into the micro-foundations of strategizing. In this paper we conceptualize our methodological reflections on an ongoing project on strategicm practices.From a S-A-P perspective have co-produced knowledge on the strategy process and its planning practices with two medium sized companies during a period of more than three years. We specifically discuss two related issues.

The first issue focus on how the deep and detailed aspects of strategic practices should be reached over time in a coproduction project. In the paper we develop and use a methodological matrix, divided in actors (continuum from individual to collective) and arenas (continuum from "front stage" to "back stage" studies) (Goffman, 1974) in order to structure our conclusions. The second issue focus on the construction of roles in co-production projects. In such projects in which the researcher is occupied by a continuous need to construct value for the interacting partner, in order to build and withhold trust. In this context the researcher has to develop a fine sense of judgment in order to choose value creating role(s). In the paper we identify a repertoire of roles taken over time and discuss outcomes in relation to these different roles from the perspectives of both practitioners and the academic community.