The Usography team coded a number of dimensions for the Millennials Multichannel Apparel Shopping ethnography. Here’s the highlight video for personality of clothing:
Retail Ethnography by Usography: Personality of Apparel from Paul Bryan on Vimeo.
After capturing all the data for the Millennials Apparel Ethnography, we needed to determine the strongest emerging concepts, to evaluate parameters that could drive the design strategy. First we reduced the transcipts to verbatims and observations that correspond directly to the codes, index terms, tags, etc. that we created from reviewing the complete data set. Then we placed the key sections of the transcript into an Excel table and assigned codes that represent their concepts. We then sorted by the codes and evaluated the strength of the concept for operationalizing as a variable to bring into quantitative research. An example coded transcript from the millennials apparel shopping project is shown below.
In the initial review of the millennials apparel shop along data, we’re seeing the following decision-making variables surface to the top:
We’re going to do a more in-depth analysis to formulate the primary segmentation dimensions. We will also overlay mobile technology.
Copyright 2010, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
The shop along is fun. I’ve done in-store apparel shopping with females before, and once again am confronted with a similar shopper decision framework, although the age group is very different. Body image is still critical in terms of time lapse of decision making. The more negative the self-assessment, the longer decisions take, and the more likely participants are to leave a given store without reaching the point of sale, and the more likely participants are, other factors equal, open to technology-based shopping aids. The more positive the self-assessment, the less the focus is on basic assortment factors like color, material, etc. and the more the focus is on less tangible attributes like body area draping and emotional lift. Technology interventions are different for the self-assessment dimension as well, with technology for negative self-assessments focused on shopping options, and for positive self-assessments on social confirmation of having hit the mark.
The above are basic in-process ethnographic study observations; we haven’t started coding the transcripts.
Web sites and other technology-based information systems satisfy needs related to a particular task, goal, or need. There is an activity context that is larger than the system’s role in customer satisfaction. That context is usually tied to a location, and that location is where the ethnographic study should take place. It is usually a simple matter to determine the best location.
For example, suppose you are responsible for a web site that sells women’s shoes. An ethnographic approach to researching the needs of women buying shoes online could be to visit the shoe closets of a sample of women in the target demographic, asking them about their current shoes, why and how they purchased the shoes they have, their total spend, their tendencies in terms of style, materials, cost, etc. If there are retail stores associated with the web site, you would probably want to conduct observation and shop-alongs in stores. This research could be conducted more easily in a lab or meeting room setting, but the data captured on site is likely to be much richer in terms of emotions, decision-making criteria, and purchase case histories, giving the work contextual authenticity that is difficult to generate from interview data alone.
It is usually a straightforward process to determine the best location for ethnographic research. Admittedly, it is not always easy or financially feasible to set up a study in that location.
Copyright 2010, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
6. Researchers add data collection methods as appropriate.
Ethnography is very flexible in terms of data collection. Some ethnographers develop their methodology in the field as events unfold. The primary data collection methods, observation and interviews, may be supplemented by a wide variety of field research techniques. Some additional data collection techniques commonly deployed by design agencies include passive video capture, video participant shadowing, photo elicitation, visual diaries, and concept collages. Research in archives as well as social media web sites can yield supplemental findings that are difficult to capture or observe in the field.
Results from ethnographic studies are often triangulated with quantitative methods, such as surveys or analytics, for corroboration, extension, or quantification purposes.
Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
5. Maps depict the activity domain, with representation of key actors, sites, artifacts, and behaviors.
When conducting ethnographic studies, Usography researchers sketch out a map or diagram of the observed space, whether it is a store, an airport, or an area of a home. The most significant elements of the environment are represented either literally or conceptually. Flows that represent activities or processes are designated by arrows or other directional visual elements. The map can be a snapshot in time, but more typically interactions and physical paths are timed and represented as a holistic view over time. We usually include a few codes at the bottom of the interaction maps that indicate common types of behaviors or expressed emotions, such as consulting a salesperson (S) or acting frustrated (F).
Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
3. Interviews are used to clarify what is observed and to gain a deeper understanding of behavior.
After period of observation in the field, we use intercept or in-depth interviews to elicit explanations of terminology, decision factors, perception of what’s most important, motivations and beliefs behind behaviors, and other variables of interest. The interviews may be with participants that we have observed, or may be with “informants” who understand behaviors from an insider perspective, and who collaborate with us in a structured way. The informant may be a salesperson who has just finished interacting with a customer, or may be a manager or gatekeeper in other business settings. Interviews may be unstructured or semi-structured. A snowball or chain sampling method may deployed if the interviews are unstructured, but in commercial settings it is more common to screen participants on the basis of a set of pre-defined criteria.
Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
Ethnography is a field research method developed by anthropologists to understand cultures other than their own. At one time, anthropologists theorized about other cultures from the comfort of their own life context. Ethnography was developed as a method to study the culture from within, as a participant, and at the same time as an observer. Ethnography is by definition and in practice a systematic approach for understanding cultural impacts on behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and rituals.
In recent years, ethnographic studies have gained favor across a wide range of commercial design situations. In the world of web design, the term ethnography can be used rather loosely to mean any research that is conducted on location, or in context of the activity for which a web-based system is being designed. Ethnography is most often used as a data gathering tool when the cost of research is significantly outweighed by the potential revenue of creating an innovative product. Ethnography is especially applicable to projects that are multi-cultural in nature, but is not limited to those types of projects. In design-related ethnographic research, the “culture” being studied may be a segment of a population that shares a set of common characteristics or goals.
Some of the methods associated with ethnographic research are: participant observation, in-depth interviews, participant diaries, informant debriefs, and context mapping. My presentation at UPA 2010 in Munich will focus on the application and adaptation of ethnographic research methods to the field of web design and usability, rather than a rigorous definition of anthropology research methods.
Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts
Interview outline:
- Review the ReGIS design comps of key screens with participants
- Ask participant to describe each of the elements on each page, and what they think each component does
- Ask participant to describe the destination of the most important links on the page
- Ask participant to mark up the page using a highlighter, specifically indicating with components should increase or decrease in prominence
- List components that the participant considers as missing
Data to capture:
- Marked up design comp
- Identification of design elements that cause confusion
- Notes about participant’s design preferences
- Research assistant’s coding of participant reactions (see “coding” on page xxx)
Example Script:
Please take a look at this design for the start page of ReGIS. I would like to get your your feedback about this design. This design was not created by anyone in the room, or anyone from the Company for that matter, so nobody’s feelings will be hurt. Be as direct and opinionated as possible.
As we talk through this design, I’m going to ask you to mark it up to show your thoughts and opinions. To do that, please use these highlighters and this pen. When you see a type of information or tool that you would be likely to read or use, highlight it with the green highlighter. When you see a type of information or tool that you don’t understand what it means or how to use it, highlight it with the yellow highlighter. When you see a type of information or tool that you would not be likely to read or use, mark through it with the black marker.
Okay, now I would like to ask you to begin in the upper left hand corner, and describe what you see in each area of the page. Describe what you think it is for, and what you think will happen if you click it.
Probe regarding participant’s understanding of each design element on the page.
What is your understanding of how the “Bring It Now” feature works? What products do you think you would find there? Do you think there is an extra service charge to have these products delivered immediately? What do you think that service charge is? What do you think it should be?
What is your understanding of this element in the middle of the page (Coupons for on-site amenities)? How do you think it works? What will happen if you click one of these links?
Remind participant to describe what the expected outcome is of clicking each major link on the comp.
If participant omits component, ask question to make sure they can identify component when prompted.
Missing components
Now you’ve responded to the design elements on the page. Let’s talk about what’s not on the page, that you would like to see added in. You can review the ideal guest site you designed earlier or the lists of tasks we covered earlier in the interview if you want to.
What components would you like to add to the page?
For example: “How do you think community tools such as Locate Guest, Post Pics, or Post Video should be accommodated in this design, if at all? If they were included, how often would you use them?”
Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (http://www.usography.com)