Ethnographic Research

What types of Research?

Research Types
Primary research definition refers to research that has involved the
collection of original data specific to a particular research project
(Gratton & Jones, 2010).

Secondary research is a research method that uses data that was

collected by someone else. In other words, whenever you conduct
research using data that already exists, you are conducting
secondary research.
Ethnographic research
is a qualitative research method involving the systematic study of
people in their natural environment to understand their way of life,
including how they see and interact with the world around them.
Ethnographic research
Field Study
a research project carried out in the natural location or context of
the subject of study, rather than in a laboratory or office.
Ethnographic research
Ethnography is a type of field study in which researchers observe
people in their natural environments in order to gain a more holistic,
contextual understanding of their needs.
 Ethnographic Research
❖ Design based on a deep understanding of cultural practice
User
❖ The primary applications of ethnography to planning and design
are programming (coding) and evaluation

❖ Ideally ethnography includes fieldwork, but if fieldwork is

impossible one can still benefit from the careful asking and
active listening skills

❖ It provides detailed data about users' preferences and

behaviors

❖ Your ethnographic study might reveal conflicts between help

resolve different conceptions of what the design could be and
whom it should serve
Product
Archival research
Ethnographic Methods
• In-Depth Interviews
• Contextual Inquiry
• Field Notes
• Diary Studies
• Shadowing
• Cultural Probes
• Photo and Video Ethnography
Interviews
In-Depth Interviews
Purpose
• to get answers to questions, to test hypotheses and to “evaluate”
as the term is normally used
• to understand the lived experience of other people and the
meaning they make of that experience.
In-Depth Interviews
Purpose
• to get answers to questions, to test hypotheses and to “evaluate”
as the term is normally used
• to understand the lived experience of other people and the
meaning they make of that experience.
In-Depth Interviews
Interviewers should
❑ keep their egos in check
❑ realize they are not the center of attention
❑ indicate that others’ stories are important
In-Depth Interviews
Interviewer
Provides access to the context of people’s behavior

Researcher
Use interview data to understand the meaning of that behavior
In-Depth Interviews

When to use this method?

If the researcher’s goal, however, is to understand the

meaning people make of their experience, then
interviewing provides a necessary, if not always
completely sufficient, avenue of inquiry.
In-Depth Interviews
Time
❑ conceptualize the project
❑ establish access
❑ make contact with participants
❑ conduct interview
❑ transcribe the data,
❑ work with the material
❑share outcomes
In-Depth Interviews
Personal skills
❑ communication with strangers
❑ overcome shyness
❑ take the initiative
❑ establish contact
❑ schedule
❑ complete
To be explored later
User research observation is derived from ethnographic research.
It’s the process of watching users interact with a specific product or tool and
can be conducted through various formats and types of studies.

Observations
Observational Research
• Contextual Inquiry • Longitudinal Research
• Usability Testing • Heuristic Evaluation
• Field Studies • Participatory Design
• Diary Studies • A/B Testing
• Shadowing
 Solutions that are designed should fit with a customer’s other
systems and existing ways of working, be easy to use and should
solve their problem.
Contextual Design holds that design team members must go into
the field and observe and talk with users in their natural work or life
environments - their natural contexts - in order to understand work
practice. This is the principle of context from which the process
draws its name.
The Hawthorne effect is a phenomenon when people modify their
behavior because they know they are being observed, which
typically results in the performance improvement.
CREATE A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT
 ✓ Minimize participant awareness
✓ Unobtrusive data collection methods
Observer bias refers to the tendency of the observer to see what
they expect or want to see, rather than what is actually happening.
FOCUS ON FACTS
✓ Standardized protocols
✓ Multiple observers
Diary Study
User diaries, or user diary studies, are a self-reporting research
method. Research participants log their experiences, behaviors,
activities, and thoughts over a certain period of time. Hence the
name "diary.“
Diary Studies
Diary studies are done remotely and asynchronously, allowing
researchers flexibility and access to distributed users.
Framework of DS
➢Activity Type
➢Log Type
➢Frequency
➢Follow-up steps
Types of Questions in DS
Broad Behavioral Focus Targeted Activity
How do users interact with their How do customers go about
kitchen appliances to make roti? researching and purchasing a new roti
maker?

Targeted Product Usage

How do users interact with a specific
roti maker throughout their cooking
experiences over a month?
Diary Studies
Cultural Probes
Cultural Probes
are a qualitative research tool, where open ended activities are
given to a group of participants to learn more about their daily lives
and environment.
Cultural Probes vs. Diary Study
Cultural probes tend to be more multimedia in nature and lend
themselves to the “gamification” of the research process.
They consist of prompts, questions and instructions along with
artifacts for recording thoughts and feelings.

Traditional kit:
✓ Postcards
✓ Maps
✓ A disposable camera
✓ A photo album and media diary
Steps of CP

Find activities Design Process Analysis

How to design CP kit?

Research Aspects Components

Objectives to Consider of Kit

Sound Quality and Size User Card

Performance Environment Collage Template
User Preferences Emotional Maps
(Music Styles, Volume) Mind Maps
TYPES OF PACKAGES
Example of CP Kit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1l-XkYOHKQ
Quiz 1
DESIGN A KIT FOR CULTURAL PROBES ACTIVITY
Objectives: Term Assignment (Water Dispenser)
Tools: Instruction Booklet, User Journal, Tasks, Activities, Cards, Forms, Maps
and etc.
Due Date: 17th October 5 pm
Format: Detailed photos of the kit and each component, along with
descriptions, compiled in a single PDF document.

*All materials will be used for Term Assignment Research.

How to do it? Term Assignment Brief

✓What is your purpose

✓What is the set of behaviors you want to observe?
✓What engaging activities can you introduce to facilitate honest
feedback?
✓What components will you include?
✓How will you clearly explain the purpose and use of each component?
✓What is the timeline for participants to complete and return the kit?
✓How can you make the kit visually appealing and easy to use?
✓How are you planning analyze your data?
Shadowing
Shadowing
is a qualitative research technique conducted on a small scale
where the researcher acts as an observer. In shadowing,
researchers observe real-life situations of a research subject or
participant for a set period of time. For this set period, the
researcher does not interfere with the participant to avoid the
research subject to deviate from their natural behavior under the
scenario or circumstance.
Types of Shadowing

Semi-Structured Unstructured
Benefits of Shadowing

• Rich Contextual Understanding

• Observation of Unspoken Behaviors

• Identifying Underlying Pain Points

Shadowing

Prepare Conduct Analyze

Preparatory Reading Make Notes

Formulate a Plan Consider Recording Extract Key Insights
Break the Ice with Participants Determine Session Length: Avoid Personal Biasis
Set Ground Rules Pay Attention
Example of Shadowing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISwLU2nYsbo
Contextual Inquiry
Contextual Inquiry
is a type of user research based entirely on the context of the study
participant.
Example of CI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnBJE2hnAeo
Principles for CI
Focus on specific tasks, activities, or Partnership fosters open
aspects of user behavior relevant to communication and mutual
the design process. understanding between researchers
and users. Instead of passive
observation, contextual inquiry
involves interacting with users, asking
Context refers to the environment questions, and asking them to explain
and circumstances in which users their actions and decisions.
perform their tasks. Observing users
in their natural settings can allow you Interpretation involves making sense
to understand how context influences of the behaviors and interactions you
behavior. Context includes physical observe. Analyze your contextual
surroundings, tools and technologies, inquiry data to identify patterns,
social interactions, and cultural needs, and insights.
factors.
How to prepare for CI

Objectives Users Location Questions

Structure of CI

The primer The transition The contextual interview The wrapup

• Introduction • Details • Watch and learn • Clarifying questions.
• Framework • Interruption • Stop and initiate discussion • Review your notes
• Confidentiality and
approval
• Steps
When to interrupt in CI
• If you’ve observed something you don’t understand. In this case, ask
open-ended questions and let the participant give you details about why she
took a certain action.
• To allow the participant to validate or invalidate your understanding of
the user’s mental model. One of the goals of contextual inquiry is to
uncover the participant’s mental model of a process. So, when you feel you
have a fairly strong hypothesis for this mental model, ask the participant to
weigh in to confirm or correct your understanding.
Types of Questions in CI
Task-related Challenges and pain points
Can you walk me through how you typically Can you describe any frustrations you
complete this task? encounter while using the product?
What steps do you follow when you engage in What aspects of the product do you find most
this activity? challenging?

Contextual Decision-making and motivations

How does this task fit into your overall What factors influence your decisions when
workflow? performing the task?
What tools or resources do you use alongside Why do you choose to use this feature or
this product? functionality over others?
Challenges of CI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2bogkxBoQI
Contextual Inquiry Display

Two volunteers to participate in display of contextual inquiry

How many participants?
Number of Participants

Diary Studies 10 - 20
Cultural Probes 10 - 30
User Shadowing 5 - 10
Contextual Inquiry 5 - 12
How to take notes?
Field Notes
notes created by the researcher during the act of conducting a field
study to remember and record the behaviors, activities, events, and
other features of an observation
Free format
Field Notes

Descriptive information Reflective information

• accurately document factual data along • record your thoughts, ideas, questions, and
with the settings, actions, behaviors, and concerns during the observation
conversations that you observe
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Written notes
The Cornell Method
The Outlining Method
The Mapping Method
The Charting Method
The Sentence Method
Visual Ethnography
Visual ethnography uses photography, motion pictures,
hypermedia, the web, interactive CDs, and virtual reality as ways of
capturing and expressing the perceptions and social realities of
people.
Visual Ethnography
• Photo-ethnography is the use of still photography as a means of
gathering and presenting ethnographic information and insight—
has always been a feature of many anthropologists' fieldwork,
although to a greater or lesser degree.

• Video Ethnography is the video recording of the stream of activity

of subjects in their natural setting, in order to experience,
interpret, and represent behavior.
Photo-ethnography
• Understand your subject matter for this method
• Take a lot of photos around your points of reference
• Analyze and interpret the photos
• Photos can also be used as props in interviews
In-Class Exercise
• Pick up any accessible product
• 1 participant, 4 observers
• Take notes and photos OR record a video
• Group leader sends photos of observation compiled in PDF
document with a pictures of notes OR submits a video
• Submission Date: 13th October 11:59 PM
References
• Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social
Sciences by Irving Seidman
• https://www.usertesting.com/blog/contextual-
inquiry#:~:text=A%20contextual%20inquiry%20aims%20to,they'll%20use%20your%20prod
uct
• https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/secondary-research/
• https://www.nngroup.com/articles/contextual-inquiry/
• https://www.nngroup.com/articles/diary-studies/
• https://delvetool.com/blog/ethnography
• https://think.design/user-design-research/shadowing/
• https://medium.com/@sanathan3009/user-shadowing-in-ux-and-service-design-research-
unveiling-insights-through-real-time-user-b23db7510051
• https://www.utc.edu/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs/center-for-academic-
support-and-advisement/tips-for-academic-success/note-taking