Dear Pedro
A week ago you submit to this list the following questions:
"
- - (...) how methodological theory in ethnography can be rendered more
systematic for thinking issues of user experience
- - How do we, as anthropologists, using methods that are predominantly
inductive, such as classic ethnographic approaches, collect and interpret
data that is relevant for the study of user-experience?
--- Are there better ways of rendering systematic anthropologists’
predominant use of induction in ethnographic data collection?
--- Would/could a methodological systematization of inductive processes in
design ethnography practices be of any use for grasping user-experience?
"""
First of all, I am surprised that, apparently, there hasn’t been any
feedback from members of this list (unless some responded off-list), even
though many among us often declare collecting data related to design
research using the theory and method you refer to.
I was expecting many comments, telling us of the pros and cons both on their
own personal ‘experience’, from those designers who are ‘users’ of the
anthropology artifacts of ethnographic theory and method; but also on their
experiences as observed on users of the artifacts designed by those
professionals.
Perhaps this absence of reaction is an answer, by the negative, to your last
two other questions:
“""- I wonder if these questions seem relevant to you from a designer’s
perspective
- - I also wonder if you could please point me to any philosophers of
science who have reflected on ethnography as method, in particular in its
relation to design.
"
The ‘use experience’ by designers, with artifacts of ethnographic theory
and method, could indeed be revealing en enriching both to designers and
anthropologists.
Perhaps then, you, as an anthropologist with an interest to the design
field, could venture to precisely study designers as users and, ultimately,
provide us with a feedback on how (good or bad) the ethnographic tools are
(effective) – or should be – used in research on other kinds of artifacts
and users as well?
Perhaps this could be the theme for you to develop further and submit for
the post doc project and, hopefully, enlighten us more on this issue?
Bonne chance !
Francois
Montreal
|