Ethnographic methods: how to do behavior-based product research
John Milanski
Product Development Specialist
john@milanski.com
www.milanski.com
Define ethnography
Ethnography is a set of qualitative social research methods where the researcher participates in people’s daily lives –
watching, listening, and asking questions – in order to understand their behavior and, more importantly, to draw
meaning from it.
To me, ethnography is about behavior – what people do rather than what they say.
Overview of Methods
When using any of these methods:
- have a defined question in mind before entering the environment
- try to avoid influencing a subject’s behavior
- conduct the research as early in the project as possible
- spend as much time in context with the subjects as possible
Disposable Camera Studies
Participants are given disposable cameras and asked to take pictures of specific situations at home or work.
For example, a researcher interested in how children play might ask parents to take pictures of their kids
when they are playing alone or with others. Disposable camera studies allow a great deal of access without
being intrusive, are relatively inexpensive, and allow geographically diverse studies. But even if
instructions are simple, data received will vary between participants. And pictures of an environment are a
poor substitute for actually being there.
Inventory/Trace Analysis
Researchers try to understand past user activities in an environment by examining the objects and physical
traces left behind (e.g. marks on walls). This is an indirect approach adapted from the social sciences where
it is not possible to study the people directly. Deriving meaning from traces is difficult and should be done
by a person trained in these methods. But much can be understood from just seeing the environment, and
the researcher does not have to worry about his presence influencing what people normally do.
Fly-on-the-Wall Observation
The researcher “spies” on the environment under study, watching behavior as it happens without trying to
influence it at all. No questions are asked. If it can be done, this is of course the ideal way to understand
why people behave the way they do. But it is very difficult to do in practice. Access is a problem; people
are not always eager to allow a stranger to view their private actions. And despite precautions the presence
of a researcher will influence behaviors. People may change their behaviors to hide certain actions or try to
please the researcher. Great care must be taken to minimize the researcher’s influence.
Participatory Observation
It is said that the best way to learn something is to do it. In some cases researchers try to participate in the
activity being studied. For example, researchers have taken jobs as bicycle messengers in order to
understand that lifestyle. To prevent undue influence, others are not told that the “new guy” is a researcher.
In this clandestine role, the researcher is forever ducking into bathrooms to make notes, and may be totally
occupied with the guise for weeks. If it can be arranged, participatory observation can produce a very deep
(but narrow) understanding of a topic. Many times, this knowledge cannot be generalized to broader
populations.
Video Ethnography
This is not really a method, but a way of collecting and analyzing data. Rather than trying to furiously
scribble notes unseen, the researcher videotapes the action, then makes notes later. Surprisingly, the
presence of a video camera need not alter behaviors, if the camera is acknowledged and made
inconspicuous. Having video is great for jogging your memory and convincing clients of your findings
using highlight videos. But “coding” (analyzing) the video is time consuming.
Co-discovery
Context is everything in behavioral research. Walking through a new product in the place it will be used is
much more informative than talking about it in an interview or focus group setting. But co-discovery runs
the risk of unduly influencing the subject.
Before the methods: justifying the research
If ethnographic studies take longer to conduct and analyze, why bother?
(1) Studying behavior can result in breakthrough products and services.
Customers do not ask for breakthrough products because they have no experiences on which to build. Only by
looking at behavior ca we discover unmet needs and then build products to fill those needs. If your company
wants to innovate rather than follow, these methods are one way to do it.
(2) Studying a new product in context is can better predict success or failure.
Studying context is studying culture. And culture determines what people buy and if they will like it.
Bibliography
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces (William Whyte)
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (Erving Goffman, 1959)
The Ethnographic Interview (James Spradley, 1979)
Ethnography: Principles in Practice (Hammersley & Atkinson, 1995)
Inquiry by Design: Tools for Environment-Behavior Research (Zeisel, 1981)
"I'd rather be a messenger", Jack Kugelmass, Natural History, Vol 90, #8, Aug 1981, pp 66-72.
If you would like further information or help conducting these types of studies, please contact me.
John Milanski, john@milanski.com, www.milanski.com.