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Ethnography of the user organization

Colin Potts

Georgia Tech

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Key principles of context

HAS models often reflect superficial understanding of the context

To understand customer requirements, you have to immerse yourself in the details of that context

Non-technical (cultural) aspects of the context determine the success of a system

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Ethnographic practice

Ethnography is an approach for studying cultural contexts in detail» Participant observation» Unstructured interviews» Analysis of artifacts

Key practices» Prolonged & continuous immersion» Speaking the user’s language

Growing interest in applying to reqts.

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Semi-structured interviews

Find key informants and conduct semi-structured interviews when appropriate» Grand tour

– Go through workplace or typical work day

» Mini-tour– Go through artifact or task

» Contrast questions– Dyadic contrasts among concepts

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Observation & videotaping

Workplace observation (and participation) is more objective than interviewing» but time-consuming & potentially intrusive

Videotaping allows analysis to be done later» and designers can also get to know the work» privacy / embarrassment issues

– surprisingly, people get used to videotape

» but thorough analysis of tapes is very time-expensive

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Workplace artifacts

What people use to do their work tells us a lot about that work» Often, specific properties detract from the essential

task

» But, people are good at exploiting the affordances of objects

– e.g. ATC stack of flight strips

Collect samples or photos of common artifacts» Discuss how they are used while you watch

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Contextual inquiry

PD-like method that incorporates ethnographic practices» CI visits involve several short ethnographic

interviews while the informants do their work

»What to record–What they do–What they say–Aspects of tool use that support work–Disruptions, including workarounds

»What to ask–What are you doing?–Why are you doing that?–Is that what you expected?

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Class exercise: Simulated ethnographic interview

Volunteer is interviewed by instructor about his or her work context

Volunteer interviews instructor about his work context

Class discussion on questions asked and insights gained

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Ethnographic Methods: Conclusions

Emphasis on “is” issues at expense of “ought”

True ethnographic immersion is very time-consuming

Contrast with organizational methods» Greater emphasis on details and usability

for individuals, less on business goals

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Ethnography: how to find out more

Several good “how to” books:» Jorgensen: Participant Observation» Spradley: Participant Observation» Fetterman: Ethnography Step by Step

Ethnographic methods figure prominently in some approaches to PD» See Holtzblatt & Jones chapter in the PD

book