To UX people, the need is very clear: "You can't understand the user without understanding the eco-system around them," as Anjali Kelkar put it. That means getting out of the office and going to where the users are. (W. Quesenbery, Global UX: Design and Research in a Connected World, Chapter 7)
This quote speaks to the importance of in-person interviews and observations within the local environment. You can have the best resources in the world about the culture in question, but sitting at your desk is not going to help you much answering your research questions. Theory differs from practice on a lot of levels, and working with people and families, the ways in which their interact with others and physical objects has to be researched from scratch, locally. I believe secondary research (as in books and culture guides) is great at its initial stage, but researching in the field and testing with users in their environment (or local lab) yield much more quality results than remote research and testing.
"After all, the whole point of global UX research is to understand people from cultures different than your own. You need to do more than fire questions at people. Your facilitation techniques need to create a space where you can meet them on their terms. That's a very different attitude from feeling you always have to be in control." (W. Quesenbery, Global UX: Design and Research in a Connected World, Chapter 7)
I agree that to be a good researcher you have to have good people skills. The way you sit, or ask questions, or even listen can be encouraging or disturbing, in which case your participant will not have the motivation to share his or her true feelings and/or will feel stressed and it lead to failure in quantitative tests. In my practice, I find it helpful to be prepared for sessions, when you come in with a certain plan in mind and a few ice-braking or interesting activities for participants - that helps get them relaxed. I hear that bringing snacks helps create an easy-going, friendly atmosphere too.
"This is the essence of ethnography. Instead of collecting "data" about people, the ethnographer seeks to learn from people, to be taught by them… In order to discover the hidden principles of another way of life, the researchers must become a student." (W. Quesenbery, Global UX: Design and Research in a Connected World, Chapter 7)
As a huge proponent of qualitative research (and ethnographies), I love this quote because it points out one important thing - talk less, listen more. You just have to be genuinely interested in what your participant is telling you, and your conversation will flow naturally, sometimes into areas you do not expect. But that's the whole point - learn about something completely new that can be outside the borders of your existing knowledge or assumptions.
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Explorations
I found a blog post by a UX researcher who conducted research in the Philippines in English, since it is spoken there as a second language, although he notes that "the majority still prefer to speak in Filipino or Taglish (Tagalog + English)". So even though a language barrier did not seem to exist at first, through his research he uncovered it was still an issue, so he had to adapt his materials and approach overall, which he shares in his post. The main tip he provides is that you have to learn the local language at least on the conversational level, and it's always helpful to have at least another member of the team who knows the language and who can moderate, if necessary. He also mentions the importance of creating a calm atmosphere for the participants and speaking in their terms - his strategy was "mirroring" how they spoke (which version of the language they spoke), which made his participants trust him more and open up more.
Sketches
Exercises
1. Culturally neutral icons
This is my attempt to design three icons that would not require translation and would be understood in any country.
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| Security |
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| Privacy |
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| Trash |
2. Ethnography on the edge (tools and methods)
When in Rome or Africa (tips for conducting research in a foreign country)
- Get out to explore the context
- Get out of your comfort zone to learn
Top 15 tips:
1. Stay in a locally-owned or run hotel (or even better, guest house).
2. Spend as much time as possible on foot. Draw a map.
3. Get out of the city.
4. Check out the best places to watch Premiership football.
5. Ignore health warnings (within reason) and eat in local cafes/markets.
6. Buy local papers, listen to local radio, watch local TV, visit local cinemas.
7. Use public transport. Avoid being ‘chauffeured’ around.
8. Take a camera. Take your time taking pictures.
9. Go for at least a month.
10. Visit villages on market days.
11. Spend time in local bookshops, libraries and antique/art shops.
12. Read up on the history and background of where you’re going. Buy a locally-written history and geography book.
13. Be sure to experience the city on foot, at night.
14. Wherever you are, get up for a sunrise stroll. It’s a different, fascinating (and cooler) time of day.
15. Don’t over-plan. Be open to unexpected opportunities
Challenges of Urban Fieldwork: A Scavenger Hunt Approach
List of recommended questions for ethnographers who are trying to figure out what to do, where to go, and what to ask in urban settings.
1) Who are the figures of fame and celebrity, prestige and notoriety in this society?
2) Aesthetics and beauty – what are the bodily ideals as expressed in popular culture? In music lyrics, in local advertising, in dress practices?
3) Daily and weekly routines
4) Purchasing and markets
5) Sense of global position People of what nationalities are present in this urban space? Where are they visible and involved in what kinds of work? What foreign media are consumed?
6) Place names – how are they arrived at? Are places referred to by official names or by the convention of practice? Are they given personal names or descriptive names? What can you find out about the people that places are named after? How do people give directions? How do they navigate to places they haven’t been to before? Are maps available, are maps used much?
7) Music and the sonic landscape – what are the different styles of music you hear in this place? Where are these different styles heard? How do people describe when/where different music styles are appropriate? What are the sounds heard in the streets? During the day vs. at night? At what volume? How do people feel about ambient noise levels?
8) Leisure activities – where do people go and what do they do for fun?
9) Architecture and the built environment – what are buildings made out of? What is the approximate ratio of formal to informal dwellings? How is the architecture of shops different from homes or government buildings, schools, temples or churches, etc? What are the features of dwellings of affluent vs. middle-class vs. poor people?
10) What insults do drivers shout at each other in traffic?
Inspirations
This week's reading has provided me with a new lens on the process of research with a global perspective. It made me think of the challenges that come into play - the knowledge of the language, trip and logistics planning, and forming teams for participating in research. Even though I conducted research in a foreign country, I was a native speaker there, and that made it so much easier. I imagine it's a lot more complex and stressful for second-language speakers, since they have to also pay attention to the language, idioms, and jokes, which do not always translate well across cultures. It would be great to talk to somebody who had that experience and see what suggestions they have. Maybe having a native-language speaker on the team is a must? Or maybe a better option is to hire a local research agency to conduct all local research and just provide you with the data at the end? And if it is a better option, why do companies still send their own teams to foreign countries? This is the questions I'd like to explore further to find out what the common rules and determining factors are.
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