Performing Ethnographic Field Studies
Ethnographic field studies involve observing and interacting with users in their natural environment to gain a deep understanding of their behaviours, routines, and the context in which they use a product or service.
Goal
The goal is to understand the users' perspectives and uncover rich insights that might not be readily apparent through other methods which inform and guide the development of user-centric products and features.
Context
We think we know why our users use our products and what they want but there are always surprises when we observe how users interact with our products and their environments.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Ethnographic Study Guide | A guide for researchers to follow during the field study, including the flow of activities and topics to cover. |
| Field Study Participants | A list of potential participants, including their background and context. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Field Notes | Detailed notes taken during observations and interactions. | Capture rich, contextual insights that inform design decisions. |
| Photo/Video/Audio Recordings | Recordings of user interactions and environments. | Provide a vivid, concrete reference to support design iterations. |
Anti-patterns
- Confirmation Bias: Only noticing behaviours or insights that confirm pre-existing beliefs.
- Overgeneralisation: Drawing broad conclusions from observations of a few users.
- Superficial observations: Focusing solely on surface-level behaviours without delving deeper into underlying motivations and context.
- Intrusiveness: Disrupting the natural behaviour of users by being too invasive in their environment.