The branch of anthropology that involves trying to understand how people live their lives. It is observational research typically used to better understand customer needs and jobs. Unlike traditional market research, that asks specific, highly practical questions, anthropological researchers visit consumers in their environment to observe and listen in a non-directed way. The goal is to see people’s behavior on their terms, not ours. It enlightens the researcher about the context in which customers use a products, why they use them, and jobs that the current paradigm isn’t doing well.
Ethnography is the branch of anthropology that involves trying to understand how people live their lives. It is observational research typically used in Step 1 of our Systematic Innovation Process to better understand customer needs and jobs. Unlike traditional market research, that asks specific, highly practical questions, anthropological researchers visit consumers in their environment to observe and listen in a non-directed way. The goal is to see people’s behavior on their terms, not ours. It enlightens the researcher about the context in which customers use a products, why they use them, and jobs that the current paradigm isn’t doing well. Learn what to look for in Step 1 of our Systematic Innovation Framework. Excel Template available.
