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5 to 7 hours
HD·F4·05 Research

Ethnography & Design

Understanding people requires spending time in their world.

Ethnography uses immersive fieldwork to understand people in their contexts. This course teaches observation, interviewing, field notes and analysis for designers who need depth of insight beyond surveys.

Last updated

In Development

This course's full module content is being written. The outline below is final, subscribe for updates when it publishes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  1. 01 Plan a small ethnographic study
  2. 02 Observe and record behaviour in context
  3. 03 Conduct and document informal interviews
  4. 04 Code field notes into themes
  5. 05 Report findings ethically and clearly
01

What Ethnography Offers Design

Ethnography reveals practices and meanings that people cannot easily describe. It supplies context that surveys miss.
01 ▶ present
02

Planning Fieldwork and Access

A clear question, a site and permission frame the study. Building trust takes time and affects data quality.
02 ▶ present
03

Observing and Writing Field Notes

Notes should separate what was seen from what was inferred. Rich, dated notes make later analysis possible.
03 ▶ present
04

Interviewing in Context

Conversations during real activity surface detail that formal interviews lose. Ask about specific events rather than general opinions.
04 ▶ present
05

Analysis and Ethical Reporting

Coding notes into themes turns observations into insight. Anonymity, consent and fair representation are required throughout.
05 ▶ present