Ethnography, Grounded Theory and Systems Analysis Presented by Lyndsey Shaeffer Information Technology IAKM 60005 Spring 2005 Michael Sutton, Instructor

Outline What is Ethnography and Grounded Theory (GT)? Benefits of using Ethnography/GT Tools for using GT Case Studies How can GT benefit Systems Analysis? Downside of using GT

What is Ethnography and Grounded Theory (GT)?

Benefits of using Ethnography/GT

Tools for using GT

Case Studies

How can GT benefit Systems Analysis?

Downside of using GT

Systems Development Life Cycle (Source: p 635, Turban et al)

Systems Analysis “ The phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle that develops a thorough understanding of the existing organization, its operation, and the situation that is causing a problem. Systems analysis methods include observation, review of documents, interviews and performance measurement.” (Source: p 636, Turban et al)

“ The phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle that develops a thorough understanding of the existing organization, its operation, and the situation that is causing a problem. Systems analysis methods include observation, review of documents, interviews and performance measurement.”

Ethnography “ Ethnography is the base of social anthropology. A basic feature of the ethnographic method is direct, largely informal interaction with the people being studied so as to provide the opportunity to learn about their society and culture as naturally as possible.” (Source: p17, Kearney)

“ Ethnography is the base of social anthropology. A basic feature of the ethnographic method is direct, largely informal interaction with the people being studied so as to provide the opportunity to learn about their society and culture as naturally as possible.”

Grounded Theory (GT) Glaser and Strauss defined Grounded Theory in 1967 as a way to develop a theory from data rather than to gather data in order to test a theory or hypothesis. This means that qualitative methods are used to obtain data about a phenomenon and that a theory emerges from the data. Since this is qualitative research, the research problem is not stated precisely, or in terms of dependant or independent variables. The first description of Grounded Theory should be seen as a methodology for arriving at a grounded theory from data. The theory is grounded in the reality as represented in the data. (Source: p. 210 Goede and de Villiers)

Glaser and Strauss defined Grounded Theory in 1967 as a way to develop a theory from data rather than to gather data in order to test a theory or hypothesis. This means that qualitative methods are used to obtain data about a phenomenon and that a theory emerges from the data. Since this is qualitative research, the research problem is not stated precisely, or in terms of dependant or independent variables. The first description of Grounded Theory should be seen as a methodology for arriving at a grounded theory from data. The theory is grounded in the reality as represented in the data.

Benefits of Grounded Theory GT is a holistic approach to analysis and enables the researcher to incorporate the “situatedness” of language within this broader framework by examining linguistic, extralinguistic, and contextual features Ensures that researchers maintain an open mind toward engaging inquiry rather than attempting to simply impose previous taxonomies onto new data. Theory is derived from what speakers actually do rather than what it is believed they should do (Source: Berlin)

GT is a holistic approach to analysis and enables the researcher to incorporate the “situatedness” of language within this broader framework by examining linguistic, extralinguistic, and contextual features

Ensures that researchers maintain an open mind toward engaging inquiry rather than attempting to simply impose previous taxonomies onto new data.

Theory is derived from what speakers actually do rather than what it is believed they should do

Benefits of Grounded Theory The same concept-building stance as dialogue itself The grounded theorist examines transcripts in order to let them “speak” for themselves. Initially descriptive, starts with a bottom-up approach to understanding language phenomena. (Source: Berlin)

The same concept-building stance as dialogue itself

The grounded theorist examines transcripts in order to let them “speak” for themselves.

Initially descriptive, starts with a bottom-up approach to understanding language phenomena.

Creation of a Grounded Theory Any theory developed must have four properties It must closely fit the substantive area in which it will be used It must be readily understandable by laymen concerned with this area It must be sufficiently general to be applicable to a multitude of diverse daily situations within the substantive area, not to just a specific type of situation Must allow the user partial control over the structure and process of daily situations as they change through time (Source: p 237, Glaser and Strauss)

Any theory developed must have four properties

It must closely fit the substantive area in which it will be used

It must be readily understandable by laymen concerned with this area

It must be sufficiently general to be applicable to a multitude of diverse daily situations within the substantive area, not to just a specific type of situation

Must allow the user partial control over the structure and process of daily situations as they change through time

Sources of Data (In decreasing level of qualitativeness) Participant Observation- Watching behavior Key Informant Interviewing- Engaging in Dialog Focus Groups- Observation and Dialog Surveys- Guided Dialog (Source: McIntosh)

(In decreasing level of qualitativeness)

Participant Observation- Watching behavior

Key Informant Interviewing- Engaging in Dialog

Focus Groups- Observation and Dialog

Surveys- Guided Dialog

QSR Nvivo Documents - are the data that you analyze in your study Nodes - are the places where you store ideas and categories Free nodes Tree Nodes Case Nodes Attributes - properties assigned to nodes or documents May be Boolean, numeric or string

Documents - are the data that you analyze in your study

Nodes - are the places where you store ideas and categories

Free nodes

Tree Nodes

Case Nodes

Attributes - properties assigned to nodes or documents

May be Boolean, numeric or string

Document and Coding Bar

Nvivo Node Browser

Cumulative Coding in Nvivo

Case Study- Image Search Preliminary study to make recommendations for improving Google’s image search Used text of “Ask an Expert” questions that submitted in the Visual Arts category Queries coded to characterize types of details users offered (Source: p 47, Cunningham et al)

Preliminary study to make recommendations for improving Google’s image search

Used text of “Ask an Expert” questions that submitted in the Visual Arts category

Queries coded to characterize types of details users offered

Case Study- Image Search (Source: p 48, Cunningham et al)

Case Study- Image Search (Source: p 48, Cunningham et al)

Case Study- Designing for the RV Tribe Problem- human factors study and industrial design overhaul of motor homes Two anthropologists went on the road with the firm’s current RV model Lived on the RV circuit for 6 months Took notes, pictures, videos and conducted interviews (Source: p 5, Squires and Byrne)

Problem- human factors study and industrial design overhaul of motor homes

Two anthropologists went on the road with the firm’s current RV model

Lived on the RV circuit for 6 months

Took notes, pictures, videos and conducted interviews

Case Study- Designing for the RV Tribe Converted all gathered data into conceptual categories Created new space plans and subsystem features that RV manufacturer implemented New model became so popular manufacturer scaled back on production of other models to meet demand for new model (Source: p 5, Squires and Byrne)

Converted all gathered data into conceptual categories

Created new space plans and subsystem features that RV manufacturer implemented

New model became so popular manufacturer scaled back on production of other models to meet demand for new model

Benefits to Using a GT approach in Systems Analysis Documents existing organization Shows how system is being used in the field Can offer solutions derived from gathered data Can help identify information requirements and entity-relationships (stage 3 of SDLC)

Documents existing organization

Shows how system is being used in the field

Can offer solutions derived from gathered data

Can help identify information requirements and entity-relationships (stage 3 of SDLC)

Possible Problems When Using Grounded Theory Pre-understanding Everyday Knowledge Disassociation from Context Coding Procedure (Source: Selden)

Pre-understanding

Everyday Knowledge

Disassociation from Context

Coding Procedure

Sources Cunningham, Bainbridge and Masoodian. How People Describe Their Image Information Needs: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Visual Arts Queries. International Conference on Digital Libraries archive Proceedings of the 4th ACM/IEEE-CS joint conference on Digitalibraries. Glaser, Strauss. The Discovery of Grounded Theory: strategies for Qualitative Research. Aldine Publishing. Chicago, 1967 Goede and De Villiers The applicability of grounded theory as research methodology in studies on the use of methodologies in IS practices ACM International Conference Proceeding Series archive Proceedings of the 2003 annual research conference of the South African institute of computer scientists and information technologists on Enablement through technology, 208 - 217, 2003 Kearney, Michael Changing fields of anthropology : from local to global Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield, 2004 Lawrence N. Berlin Grounded theory and its benefits for dialogue analysis International Association for Dialog Analysis 2004 Conference http://www.neiu.edu/~iada2004/prog2.htm#Lawrence%20N.%20Berlin

Cunningham, Bainbridge and Masoodian.

How People Describe Their Image Information Needs: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Visual Arts Queries.

International Conference on Digital Libraries archive Proceedings of the 4th ACM/IEEE-CS joint conference on Digitalibraries.

Glaser, Strauss.

The Discovery of Grounded Theory: strategies for Qualitative Research.

Aldine Publishing. Chicago, 1967

Goede and De Villiers

The applicability of grounded theory as research methodology in studies on the use of methodologies in IS practices

ACM International Conference Proceeding Series archive

Proceedings of the 2003 annual research conference of the South African institute of computer scientists and information technologists on Enablement through technology, 208 - 217, 2003

Kearney, Michael

Changing fields of anthropology : from local to global

Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield, 2004

Lawrence N. Berlin

Grounded theory and its benefits for dialogue analysis

International Association for Dialog Analysis 2004 Conference

http://www.neiu.edu/~iada2004/prog2.htm#Lawrence%20N.%20Berlin

Sources McIntosh Qualitative Basis of Survey Research http://www.cvhpinstitute.org/chic/powerpoints/qual02.ppt Seldén Lars. On Grounded Theory- With Malice. Journal of Documentation, January 2005, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 114-129 Squires and Byrne. Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry. Bergin and Garvey, 2002 Turban, McLearn and Wetherbe. Information Technology for Management: transforming Organizations in the Digital Economy New York, Wiley, 2004

McIntosh

Qualitative Basis of Survey Research

http://www.cvhpinstitute.org/chic/powerpoints/qual02.ppt

Seldén Lars.

On Grounded Theory- With Malice.

Journal of Documentation, January 2005, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 114-129

Squires and Byrne.

Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry.

Bergin and Garvey, 2002

Turban, McLearn and Wetherbe.

Information Technology for Management: transforming Organizations in the Digital Economy

New York, Wiley, 2004