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Processes of Design Sixth lecture: Ethnography 27 October 2003

Processes of Design Sixth lecture: Ethnography 27 October 2003. William Newman. Evaluation: Revisiting the Problem. We must simulate the end result We have particular problems: Simulating the user Simulating the context Simulating how the user performs the task

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Processes of Design Sixth lecture: Ethnography 27 October 2003

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  1. Processes of DesignSixth lecture:Ethnography 27 October 2003 William Newman

  2. Evaluation: Revisiting the Problem • We must simulate the end result • We have particular problems: • Simulating the user • Simulating the context • Simulating how the user performs the task • Ethnography helps us understand these better • This is my view of the What and How of Ethnography.

  3. What Is Ethnography? • Fieldwork methods for the study and analysis of social settings • Draws on methods used in studies of primates and primitive tribes • A research activity, increasing our knowledge of the social world • Links with philosophy rather than scientific theory.

  4. How Computer Research discovered Ethnography • Jeff Rulifson’s Office Research Group at Xerox PARC • Recruiting anthropologists to study office workers • Advanced Systems Dept (1978-80): Altos in the White House • Lucy Suchman and Situated Action.

  5. Work Practice and Technology Research at PARC 1980-2000 • Practical ethnography and design participation • San Jose Airport study:The Flight Tracker example • Orr’s study of service technicians:‘War stories’ as teaching materials • The Denver Project:Connecting service techs by radio • Ethnographic studies continue at PARC (Jack and Marilyn Whalen).

  6. Ethnography in Europe • Wes Sharrock (Manchester Univ.) • Lancaster Univ.’s Sociology Dept. • Scandinavian participative design research (Susanne Bodker) • Xerox Cambridge: from pure HCI to Sociology and Ethnography (Richard Harper) • The Xerox IMF study.

  7. Responsibility Modelling • Why are systems accepted by their users, and other rejected? • Rejection of an air traffic control workstation • IMF Economic Database failure • Question: What matters most to workers? • Hypothesis: Whatever makes them effective team members, and reduces the risk of being fired. • I.e. meeting their responsibilities • But is it valid to make predictions based on studies of social behaviour?

  8. Ethnomethodology (EMy) • A long word about studying small-scale social action • Concerned with everyday socialaction and its production of order • Origins in Conversation Analysis • Examples: • Gaze and speech interruption • Patients’ design of pain cries • The 10-second free turn in medical consultations.

  9. EMy’s limitations • Looks at fine detail -- influences only the file detail (UI) of design • Invalidity of generalizing about social action • Generalizing therefore falls on the designer • EMists don’t build on each others’ work -- they prefer to demolish it! • So there’s work to be done.

  10. Summary: Ethnographic study methods • Direct observation • Interview • Video and/or audio recording • Diary-keeping • Also: participation and action research

  11. Informing design • The ‘correct’ approach: • Ethnographer conducts studies • Ethnographer relates findings to designers • Designers come back with questions • Ethnographer does further studies, etc. • The field usability testing approach: • Ship the product or prototype • Find a study site • Gather data about design faults, report back • Can we do better? • The diary study option.

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