Ethnography: A 21st Century Interpretation (@CHI) - Sarah Garcia, UE Group

Mixed Methods

In any field there are some topics that are more widely agreed upon and some that are more widely debated. For UX research ethnography falls in the later. It’s defined as, “the scientific description of the customs of individual peoples and cultures.” Historically, the term has been widely used in anthropology to describe studies that can last for years and explore other cultures in an immersive way almost unheard of today. This type of ethnography, even in the academic world, is undergoing a transition as it becomes more and more difficult for men and women to dedicate themselves for such long periods of time to this type of study.

This year CHI hosted a workshop on ethnography. For UX researchers, this type of observation based study can be invaluable when trying to understand the way different groups think, feel, and behave. Sarah Garcia, who hosted this year’s workshop, sat down to tell us a bit more about it. She’s spent over 10 years at UE Group doing UX research for some of the world’s largest companies.

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