1. © Colin Potts B3-1 Ethnography of the user organization Colin Potts Georgia Tech

2. © Colin Potts B3-2 Key principles of context l HAS models often reflect superficial understanding of the context l To understand customer requirements, you have to immerse yourself in the details of that context l Non-technical (cultural) aspects of the context determine the success of a system

3. © Colin Potts B3-3 Ethnographic practice l Ethnography is an approach for studying cultural contexts in detail »Participant observation »Unstructured interviews »Analysis of artifacts l Key practices »Prolonged & continuous immersion »Speaking the user’s language l Growing interest in applying to reqts.

4. © Colin Potts B3-4 Semi-structured interviews l 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

5. © Colin Potts B3-5 Observation & videotaping l Workplace observation (and participation) is more objective than interviewing »but time-consuming & potentially intrusive l 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

6. © Colin Potts B3-6 Workplace artifacts l 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 l Collect samples or photos of common artifacts »Discuss how they are used while you watch

7. © Colin Potts B3-7 Contextual inquiry l 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?

8. © Colin Potts B3-8 Class exercise: Simulated ethnographic interview l Volunteer is interviewed by instructor about his or her work context l Volunteer interviews instructor about his work context l Class discussion on questions asked and insights gained

9. © Colin Potts B3-9 Ethnographic Methods: Conclusions l Emphasis on “is” issues at expense of “ought” l True ethnographic immersion is very time-consuming l Contrast with organizational methods »Greater emphasis on details and usability for individuals, less on business goals

10. © Colin Potts B3-10 Ethnography: how to find out more l Several good “how to” books: »Jorgensen: Participant Observation »Spradley: Participant Observation »Fetterman: Ethnography Step by Step l Ethnographic methods figure prominently in some approaches to PD »See Holtzblatt & Jones chapter in the PD book