Agile ethnography: Does such a thing exist in UX Research?
By: Meltem Barcelona
Tags: User Research, Ethnography, User Experience, Agile, UX Research

As famously reported, thick data has changed Netflix. Grant McCracken, a cultural anthropologist, was hired by the company to use ethnography as a way of understanding users. It worked; McCracken reported extensive contextual data that led to innovation. He discovered, among other things, that users liked "binge-watching" series. And, instead of feeling bad about it, they loved it! Acting on this insight, Netflix started to release whole seasons at once, instead of showcasing a chapter per week.

Now, as we all know, binge-watching is the new normal.

McCracken's work is well-praised within the community of UX professionals. But little do we discuss the amount of time and money that is spent on ethnographic studies like that of Netflix. To build ethnographic knowledge of TV-watching behavior, for how many days did McCracken lived with the users? Did he manage to write the full experience of its users in one week? Or did he spend months living with research participants, observing them and having conversations, and looking like he was "doing nothing"?

That's why it's hard to distinguish a renowned ethnographer at work from a couch potato watching Netflix with friends.

And for the same reason, a majority of UX Researchers in the industry might not be in a business setting that promotes the use of the ethnographic method. User interviews? Sure. Contextual inquiry? Of course, there's time and money for that. But ethnography as McCracken has done it might be out of reach.

Having said that, it's still feasible to do what can resemble an "agile ethnography". Here are key ways to make ethnography work in high tech, business setting, engrained in the four values of the Agile Manifesto.

Value 1: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

The Agile Manifesto suggests that instead of focusing on business and functional requirements as a rigid concept, the team can prioritize resolving problems as they arise. Normally, when we manage projects, we rely on tools and processes to solve issues. There is a "formula" to follow. But with agile, our team is encouraged to be more flexible, maintaining fluid communication and maximizing alignment when issues arise.

Applying the agile method to ethnography would mean that we can continuously dedicate a small segment of our efforts for ongoing ethnographic analysis. As much as our company allows, we can recruit research participants continuously for iterative sprints and regularly observe the actual ways with which they engage with products.

This, of course, requires that the management is aligned to spend money for this purpose and the team has the confidence to run research without a traditional waterfall-style preparation. Skipping ahead and back, and being comfortable with a non-linear way of gathering data are the key to make this process work.

Value 2: Working software over comprehensive documentation

In the context of the Agile Manifesto, this value promotes that developers don't get overwhelmed with extensive documentation on technical specifications, technical requirements and whatnot. Instead of delaying the ultimate delivery by gathering comprehensive documentation, the Agile framework recommends asking "What do I need to work now?" and taking action with what's readily available (e.g., user stories).

In a similar vein, ethnographic research in an agile setting would mean producing Minimum Viable Findings. Rather than presenting "big picture" findings when everything is over, the notion of Minimum Viable Findings proposes that we divide our study into micro areas of experiences and prioritize what questions need to be answered at each sprint.

An "agile ethnography" cannot be as exhaustive as the ones we're used to seeing in academic settings or those that are part of exceptionally well-funded projects. Still, it can inform the next round of research and provide actionable insights from a limited area of user experience.

Value 3: Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

Agile allows for constant contact between the clients and the (development) team. Instead of "selling" the product at the beginning of the project and maintaining the client at a shoulder distance until the results come out, The Agile Manifesto proposes involving customers in the process. Having an open-ended discussion with the client can help clarify doubts quickly and ensure that the client "owns" the project, while the team becomes aware of clients' changing needs.

In the context of ethnography, the agile principles could be integrated by frequently sharing observations with the client in form of potential solutions, and quickly testing findings. Normally, ethnographers stay with research subjects for months, if not years, and take their time before presenting their book.

But in today's business environment, presenting findings too late almost means not presenting findings at all.

Keeping that in mind, the ethnographic method in UX Research can be agilized by proactively testing preliminary findings and regularly involving clients.

Value 4: Responding to change over following a plan.

Creating elaborate plans at the beginning of a project gives a feeling of control. That's why the software development process too used to be like that too. But with agile methods, change is now welcomed. Priorities can be shifted, new features can be added. All these changes are considered to provide additional value.

Apply that to agile ethnography, and you see a research setting in which client (and other teams') feedback is always welcomed, and there's a quick reaction to what's working and what's not working. UX Researchers who are running an ethnographic study in an agile way can readily shift their focus from one concept to another when the need arises.

In a nutshell, not all research teams might have the luxury to spend months living with users and running ethnographic fieldwork akin to an academic study. Nevertheless, most teams can still adopt values from the Agile Manifesto and present Minimum Viable Findings, and quickly offer potential solutions based on ethnographic observations.