Characterizing the Application of Design Ethnography Techniques to Improve Novice Human-Centered Design Processes.

Design is a central, distinguishing feature of engineering, requiring the development of technical solutions to societal problems. Successful design solutions must not only be technically sound, but also well-adapted to the context and culture in which they will be used. However, the most commonly used methods for eliciting and characterizing stakeholder preferences do not typically reveal critical stakeholder and contextual information. Through the studies described in this dissertation, I explore the use of design ethnography during front-end engineering design phases to capture both stakeholder preferences and contextual knowledge to inform engineering design decision making. Design ethnography is a set of primarily qualitative data collection and analysis techniques that have been adapted from the field of anthropology to augment the engineering design process. Studies from the fields of human-computer interaction and product development have demonstrated that design ethnography techniques are cost-effective and lead to more successful products. However, the design ethnography literature lacks critical understanding of the major barriers and factors that influence design ethnography success, methodologies for synthesizing and applying design ethnography data, best practices to engage with stakeholders, developmental trajectories of novice to expert skill acquisition, and case studies of how design ethnography has been implemented in diverse settings. The studies detailed in this dissertation employ a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods to address these gaps in the literature. Through this research, I have characterized novice design ethnography implementation strategies and identified internal and external factors that affect design ethnography execution; investigated correlations between information processing ability and the quality of product requirements developed; established a framework for evaluating and directing design ethnography stakeholder interviews; developed a case study within a global health design context; and interpreted the findings within a theoretically grounded model to represent novice to expert development. This body of work informs strategies and processes for engaging with stakeholders and understanding broader contexts in design work to improve design decision making within both design professional practice and engineering education.PhDMechanical EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133391/1/imohedas_1.pd

Design ethnography in information systems

Until recently, most ethnographic research in information systems has been based on the traditional anthropological model of ethnography. In this traditional model of ethnography, one of the most important data-gathering techniques is participant observation. The ethnographer observes and participates but does not actively seek to change the situation. In recent years, however, a new type of ethnographic research has emerged - one that can be called design ethnography. Design ethnography is where the researcher goes beyond observation and actively engages with people in the field. Our view is that design ethnography has much potential for research in information systems. It is a new form of engaged scholarship that bridges the gap between ethnographic research and design science research

Ethnographic approach to design knowledge. Dialogue and participation as discovery tools within complex knowledge contexts

The following paper explores two main concepts: a) the ethnography as a thick and qualitative observation method, which refers to an active interpretation of the traditional ethnography by the communication design research mindset; b) the definition of design knowledge space, as extended boundaries for the physical place of design activities. In the paper we introduce the interpretation of ethnographic plan as a tool for communication epistemology and as a relevant research tool for the understanding and interaction with high complexity knowledge contexts. Ethnography has been practiced within design organizations aiming to provide remarks and insights about knowledge management systems within knowledge intensive organizations. We describe ethnography structure, tools, data analysis and interpretation techniques. For communication design practice, the field research is not considered merely as a techniques toolbox that have been borrowed from social sciences; design rhetoric refers to the major purpose of design thinking to act transformations in the observed contexts; ethnography is a way to face problem setting through research tools that consider observation and dialogue as the necessary design premise

Focused Ethnography in Health Sciences Research: A Review Article

Introduction: Focused ethnography is a distinct type of sociological ethnography which particularly is predominantly used in applied health studies. Considering Due to the application of focused ethnography in clinical research and lack of Persian sources for this research methodology, this study was conducted to provide a comprehensive thorough explanation of focused ethnography based on the available resources. Method: This paper is a traditional review of 21 articles and 17 books in relation toon focused ethnography which have been published between 1979 and 2015. These documents have beenwere retrieved from databases including ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, and PubMed as well as relevant books using keywords of qualitative research, ethnography, and focused ethnography. and Then, they have beenwere analyzedsed in terms of major themes and common concepts. In this review, English articles, which included certain English search terms in their title or keyword section, were evaluated. Results: Focused ethnography investigates the relationship between cultural beliefs and health behaviors and instead of exploring large cultural groups and ethnicities focusesd on the shared behaviours and experiences of small groups. In focused ethnographic methodsstudies, data are collected through semi-structured interviews and observation combined with field notes, cultural and /personal interactions, and the use of demographic data sheets. The analysis of the data started was conducted simultaneously with data collection. Conclusion: Generally, focused ethnography is a methodology to of building background knowledge in order to take the required measures to design therapeutic interventions in line with the culture of a society, and consequently, improveing public health. Keywords: Ethnography, Focused ethnography, Qualitative study, Health sciences research

A Mixed-Method Approach for the Study of Practices in Interorganizational Settings

A general interest in the study of social practices has been spreading across a diversity of disciplines in organization and management research, relying mostly on rich ethnographic accounts of units or teams. What is often called the “practice-turn”, however, has not reached research on interorganizational networks. This is mainly due to methodological issues that call, in the end, for a mixed-method approach. This paper addresses this issue by proposing a research design that balances well-established social network analysis with a set of techniques of organizational ethnography that fit with the specifics of interorganizational networks. In what we call “network ethnography”, qualitative and quantitative data are collected and analyzed in a parallel fashion. Ultimately, the design implies convergence during data interpretation, hereby offering platforms of reflection for each method towards new data collection and analysis. We discuss implications for mixed- method literature, research on interorganizational networks, and organizational ethnography

Parenting a Second Time Around: An Ethnography of African American Grandmothers Parenting Grandchildren Due to Parental Cocaine Abuse

This study describes a group of six African American grandmothers parenting their grandchildren secondary to cocaine abuse on the part of the parents. It explores the manner in which such parenting affected the grandmothers’ health. Data for this ethnography design were collected through participant observation, field notes, taped interviews, and supplementary data sources. The identification of cultural themes evolved from domain and taxonomic analyses. The themes—parenting a second time around, sacrifice, and God’s presence in daily life—expressed aspects of the grandmothers’ culture. The effects on health varied from none to exacerbation of chronic illnesses. The study results, and its picture of life from the grandmothers’ perspectives, suggest areas of nursing assessment and intervention that otherwise might be left unexplored

Designer as Ethnographer: A Study of Domestic Cooking and Heating Product Design for Irish Older Adults

In many ways, the design of domestic cooking and heating products reflects the zeitgeist of Irish culture throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. From domesticity to materialism, these products have evolved to meet fundamental human needs within the home. Concurrent with this, the methods and processes designers use to create domestic artefacts have evolved and changed. The emergence of Design Ethnography illustrates an evolution where Design has appropriated an established method of Anthropology for its own particular objectives. However, the integrity of the ethnography practised by designers has been criticised by many, e.g. Dourish questions whether it creates forms of “discount ethnography” (2006, p.548). The designer ethnographer has different objectives to the anthropologist and the particular principles, methods, and understanding of design ethnography have not been fully elucidated for use by professional designers. Bichard and Gheerawo observe “…if anthropologists and ethnographers appear to be becoming designers as such, then perhaps designers should allow themselves to reflect on their ‘field’ and ‘work’ more as anthropologists and ethnographers”(2011, p.55). The identification and construction of a design ethnography, epistemology, and methodology that is distinct from, while respectful of that of anthropology, is required. Design ethnography has been heralded for its ability to investigate future complex issues for humanity, and to produce powerful, democratising, and radical effects (Plowman, 2003). Meeting the demands of a growing older population will be one of these future complexities. Ireland is rapidly becoming an ageing society with its population living longer in ill health (McGill, 2010). 89% of older Irish people would prefer to live at home rather than in institutional care (McGee et al., 2005). Therefore developing healthy environments in which they grow old must be a priority. Particular attention must be given to the design of domestic products that provide older people with basic daily requirements. Domestic cooking and heating products offer basic health and wellbeing needs in the form of nutrition and heat. Prior to designing these products a deep understanding of older people’s needs must be determined. To achieve this, empathy and sensitivity are essential (Newell et al., 2010). Comprehensive field studies such as ethnographies are important in gaining understanding and eliciting true user insights (Seidel, 2009, Newell et al., 2010) This thesis contributes to two domains. Firstly, it identifies and develops an understanding of the essence of design ethnography, and a process by which designers can harness ethnographic methods for the purposes of design practice. Secondly, it provides an example of a designer ethnographic approach to product design for older people, producing insights and product design requirements for cooking and heating products. The research involved design ethnographic fieldwork over twelve months within the homes of forty older adult participants across Ireland and from various socio-economic groups. Personas, design requirements, and concepts were produced, which allowed the researcher to reflect on the role of design ethnographer and inform future practice. Insights into product requirement were deep and far reaching, revealing important and diverse health and wellbeing needs to be addressed for older people in domestic products. A methods and process framework is formulated for conducting future design ethnography, from fieldwork and data analysis to design practice

Using Ethnography in Psychological Research: Challenges and Opportunities

Ethnography has gained more popularity in psychological research in recent years. As one of the qualitative traditions, ethnography is best to describe the behaviour of group and group member deeply rooted in its culture and cultural values. This paper presents a literature review on the role, challenges, and opportunities in adopting ethnography in psychological research. Study examples are presented within which,types of ethnographical design to explore new psychological phenomena are discussed. Continous self-reflection for both researchers and participants and researcher’s flexibility of using data collection methods informed by researcher’s positionality and engagement are suggested to further advance rigour in the study findings

Dialogues through design: ethnographic explorations of creative process

Ethnography has traditionally examined fashion in the context of consumption. This aligns with material culture's inclination for examining the meaning of objects through consumption rather than design, which should be considered the actual starting point of their meaningfulness. In spite of the wealth of perspectives interrogating fashion, there is a marked absence of literature exploring how it is actually created. Using an ethnographic study of women's shoe designers, this paper unpacks the real creative process. The research focused on the practical, material and social processes that bring the creative ideas of designers into the commercial sphere of the fashion system. Ethnography will be seen to be an integral method for revealing design from the perspective of its practitioners. Central to the paper is an ethnographic dialogue between researcher, designers, ideas, materials and commerciality, bringing a more emotive perspective to design. Lasting eighteen months, the study involved observations of the practical stages of design and interviews with studio based designers, who apply a more handmade approach to their creativity. Ethnography was used to understand how design happens practically and commercially, as well as how it is experienced from the perspective of individual practitioners. A phenomenological approach was applied with the researcher learning to design and make shoes, enabling a reflective interpretation of data. Design was revealed to be fluid, sensory and reliant on tacit knowledge. The creative process for each designer was both experiential and personal, yet grounded in commerciality. The paper will tease out these tensions

Generation Y: evaluating services experiences through mobile ethnography

Purpose: This paper suggests mobile ethnography as a method for data collection, where Generation Y customers are integrated as active investigators. The paper aims to contribute to the debate on museums as experience-centred places, to understanding how the experience is perceived by Generation Y, to identifying the customer journey, to providing an insight into service experience consumption and to deriving managerial implication for the museum industry of how to approach Generation Y. Design/methodology/approach: Mobile ethnography is applied to the National Museum of Australia in Canberra with a sample of Generation Y visitors as the future visitor market. Findings: The paper finds that there is a need to involve museum management in measuring museum experiences, especially with regard to the definition and improvement of the service-delivery processes. Service experience must be appropriately managed by museum operators by collecting, evaluating, storing and reusing relevant data on customer experience. Mobile ethnography and tools such as MyServiceFellow offer an important potential source of sustainable competitive advantage by improving customer experience, particularly for Gen Y. Research limitations/implications: The most significant limitation is the exploratory nature of the single case study derived from a small sample within only one museum. Originality/value: This is one of the few studies to have addressed mobile ethnography in a service context and examined the museum experience of Generation Y. The paper finds that there is a need to involve museum management in service design to improve the service-delivery process, especially with regard to the different mindsets of the Millennials