Ethnography is defined as the observation and study of human cultures and involves learning from people by observing their behaviors and interactions in their natural social and cultural contexts. It was invented in 1915 by Bronislaw Malinowski who spent three years living with and observing the Trobriand Islands people of New Guinea, establishing the modern practice of ethnographic fieldwork. The key aspects of ethnography include preparing for and conducting field studies through observation and interviews, analyzing the collected data, and reporting the findings to provide insights into the people, activities, and cultures being studied.

1. What is Ethnography?
 Defined as:
 a method of observing human interactions in
social settings and activities (Burke & Kirk, 2001)
 as the observation of people in their ‘cultural
context’
 the study and systematic recording of human
cultures; also : a descriptive work produced from
such research (Merriam-Webster Online)
 Rather than studying people from the outside,
you learn from people from the inside

2. Who Invented Ethnography?
 Invented by Bronislaw Malinowski in 1915
 Spent three years on the Trobriand Islands (New
Guinea)
 Invented the modern form of fieldwork and
ethnography as its analytic component
(Anderson, 1997; Malinowski, 1967;
1987; Kuper 1983)

3. Who Invented Ethnography?
 Documented three
types of data
 Detailed
description of day
to day life and
activities
 All stories,
narratives, myths,
etc.
 Synoptic Charts
(Anderson, 1997; Malinowski, 1967;
1987; Kuper 1983)

4. Traditional VS Design Ethnography
Traditional Design
 Describes cultures  Describes domains
 Uses local language  Uses local language
 Objective  Subjective
 Compare general  Compare general
principles of society principles of design
 Non-interference  Intervention
 Duration: Several Years  Duration: Several
Weeks/Months
(Salvador & Mateas, 1997)

5. Why do an Ethnographic Study?
 “Things aren’t always what they seem”
 Practitioners/ ‘Natives’ are not always the best
people
 Lack insight
 Discovery
 N.B. – ethnographer should guide design team,
not vice versa.

6. When & Where is it used in the
Design Process?
 Pre-design
 During design
 Evaluation Stage
 Depends on time
constraints and when it
was first implemented.
 The sooner, the better.
 Ethnographer should be
seen as a key member of
the design team.

7. Methodology
Step 1: Preparation
Step 2: Field Study
Step 3: Analysis
Step 4: Reporting

8. Step 1: Preparation
 Familiarize yourself with:
 Organization policies
 Work culture
 Current System & its history
 Identify the Focus of the Study
 Set initial goals and prepare
questions.
 Can be guided by designer goals
 Gain access and permission
 Gate-keepers vs. Sponsors
(Rose et al., 1995)

9. Step 2: Field Study
 Establish rapport with managers and users.
 Record everything:
your visits, observations, impressions, feelings, hunches,
emerging questions, etc.
ASAP for accuracy
Be Meticulous!!!
 Field notes, audio, or video
recording.
 Follow any leads
(Rose et al., 1995)

10. Step 3: Analysis
 Compile data into databases:
 Numerical
 Textual
 Multimedia
 Quantify data and compile
statistics.
 Reduce and Interpret Data.
 Review and Redevelop Ideas.
(Rose et al., 1995)

11. Step 4: Reporting
 Consider multiple
audiences and
respective goals.
 Prepare a report and
present the findings.
 Have debriefing
meetings
(Rose et al., 1995)

12. Ethnographic Report
 Purpose Statement
 Executive Summary
 Main Body
 Future Research
 Appendix
 Debriefing
(Randall/Rouncefield, CSCW 1996
Tutorial)

13. Dos & Don’ts
Don’t Do
 Ask simple Yes/No  Ask open-ended
questions questions
 Ask leading questions  Phrase questions
 Use unfamiliar jargon properly to avoid bias
 Lead/guide the ‘user’  Speak their language
 Let user notice things
on his/her own
(Nielsen, 2002)

14. Advantages
 ‘Real-world’ data
 Provides in-depth
understanding of people
in an organization.
 Discovery
 Can be economical (if
you ‘do it yourself’).

15. Disadvantages
 Context too specific
 ‘Going native’
 Must negotiate access
 Time & Money
 Data is messy and often unstructured.
 How do you assess significance?

16. Potential Problems
 Communication
 Ethnographers VS Software Engineers
 Solved via Iterative approach.
 Multiple Roles
 Time & Money
 Generalizability