Design Tool: Ethnographic

Challenge & Selection

I am an app developer, and therefore I try to find what people’s need observing the environment  such as my neighbors, Family, and customers in stores. Sometimes actions we do daily maybe  seem casual to some people, but I try my best to understand what people’s need/want before  they ask someone for information or create their own app the find the solution for their  problem. So that’s the main reason why I choose the tool ethnographic to build my app to help  people finding product/services around the neighbors.

Application

The first thing I did was observing my own family looking for product/services around the  neighborhood. In this step I observed how they tried to find, how the browse the internet, what  did they look for while browsing the internet. After taking notes, I decided to observe people on  the street, trying to understand how people choose stores, which part of the design/name  of  the store called most people’s attention. After taking notes of both parts, I decided to go beyond  and observe people inside the stores. Wasn’t an easy thing to do, because it takes time to see  what people are interested in, if they are only going to buy what they want or anything that may  catch their attention? Also, I try to observe if people found what they were looking for, and if  they didn’t, if they could find a good product/service replacement.

After gathering all those data, I decided to create a graphic in excel so I could find out things like  where people search things, how they search, if the found out what they needed in the first look  (both browsing and physically shopping). I also asked some questions individually to my family  neighbors and friends to find out if they knew at least 15 stores close to their homes.

Insights

After weeks observing and interviewing people, I found out some things that I already knew, and  some things that could make my business work. The first thing I noticed was that most people  use Google to search things. It doesn’t always get what you asked for, but when it does, it  amazing how many details it gives to you. I, as most people, use Google all the time, so already  knew that Google would find most things you search for. However, I was most interesting on the  level of details and accuracy Google could give me about different kind of stores. My conclusion  was that my App would probably be required, since there are lots of information and takes too  long to find exactly what we are looking for.

Something that I was not expecting was that when I asked people to tell me 15 stores close to  them, they knew about ten, but they didn’t know information such as if the store was still there  (or if it was already replaced), what kind of product/services they were selling, an average  price/product, and what time it opened and closed during the whole week.

When observing the stores, I realized that wouldn’t be easy to keep track of all store in the  neighborhood. Even contacting the neighborhood store weekly, there was no guarantee that in  the next week the store would still be there.

Also, I just found out after the second week of study that there was an app just like mine, but  mine was just for my neighbor ( and around 300 of 500 stores), and the one I found had the

details of the whole neighbor, and had other neighbors too. That meant to me that my idea was  good, but late.

Approach

Another approach using a different tool is the brainstorming. Since I decided to go for another  App, I started to think what did I do so wrong that made me put my  three  weeks project aside.

I realized that I didn’t do a proper brainstorming. Something simple as talking with people who  share interests similar to yours can be really usefully. For example, I have a cousin who works  with Google Ad Words. After I put my project aside, I discovery that he knew the whole time  that there was an app better than mine. If I had talked with him before , I am sure things would  have ended up better, because I would either stop my project earlier, or improve it.


Design Tool : Ethnographic Challenge & Selection I am an app developer , and therefore I try to find what people ’s need observing the environment such as my neighbors , Family , and customers in stores . Sometimes actions we do daily maybe seem casual to some people , but I try my best to understand what people ’s need / want before they ask someone for information or create their own app the find the solution for their problem . So that ’s the main reason why I choose the tool ethnographic to build my app to help people finding product / services around the neighbors . Application The first thing I did was observing my own family looking for product / services around the neighborhood . In this step I observed how they tried to find , how the browse the internet , what did they look for while browsing the internet . After taking notes , I decided to observe people on the street , trying to understand how people choose stores , which part of the design / name of the store called most people ’s attention . After taking notes of both parts , I decided to go beyond and observe people inside the stores . Was n’t an easy thing to do , because it takes time to see what people are interested in , if they are only going to buy what they want or anything that may catch their attention ? Also , I try to observe if people found what they were looking for , and if they did n’t , if they could find a good product / service replacement . After gathering all those data , I decided to create a graphic in excel so I could find out things like where people search things , how they search , if the found out what they needed in the first look ( both browsing and physically shopping ) . I also asked some questions individually to my family neighbors and friends to find out if they knew at least 15 stores close to their homes . Insights After weeks observing and interviewing people , I found out some things that I already knew , and some things that could make my business work . The first thing I noticed was that most people use Google to search things . It does n’t always get what you asked for , but when it does , it amazing how many details it gives to you . I , as most people , use Google all the time , so already knew that Google would find most things you search for . However , I was most interesting on the level of details and accuracy Google could give me about different kind of stores . My conclusion was that my App would probably be required , since there are lots of information and takes too long to find exactly what we are looking for . Something that I was not expecting was that when I asked people to tell me 15 stores close to them , they knew about ten , but they did n’t know information such as if the store was still there ( or if it was already replaced ) , what kind of product / services they were selling , an average price / product , and what time it opened and closed during the whole week . When observing the stores , I realized that would n’t be easy to keep track of all store in the neighborhood . Even contacting the neighborhood store weekly , there was no guarantee that in the next week the store would still be there . Also , I just found out after the second week of study that there was an app just like mine , but mine was just for my neighbor ( and around 300 of 500 stores ) , and the one I found had the details of the whole neighbor , and had other neighbors too . That meant to me that my idea was good , but late . Approach Another approach using a different tool is the brainstorming . Since I decided to go for another App , I started to think what did I do so wrong that made me put my three weeks project aside . I realized that I did n’t do a proper brainstorming . Something simple as talking with people who share interests similar to yours can be really usefully . For example , I have a cousin who works with Google Ad Words . After I put my project aside , I discovery that he knew the whole time that there was an app better than mine . If I had talked with him before , I am sure things would have ended up better , because I would either stop my project earlier , or improve it .