Ethnographic research is a qualitative research method in which researchers observe participants using a product or service in their own environment, usually at work or at home.

Ethnographies can take advantage of a range of technologies and approaches to glean valuable information about the customer’s experience of using a product or service.

Ethnography can be used to evaluate an existing design, but is more often used to evaluate new designs before they are commercialized, with the aim of uncovering in situ design issues that were not detected during research and development. Often, this can be achieved with a relatively small number of interviews, e.g. 5-10, although Meenthe has conducted ethnographic research involving up to several dozen participants.

Ethnographic market research also makes it possible to assess the emotional responses and attitudes that participants may be reluctant to share during an interview. This type of immersive study is a regular component of more complex research projects, enabling us to “get inside the heads” of participants and reveal valuable information not normally expressed in interviews.