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Ethnographic ResearchTweet

Observational research as said in an earlier article can yield some good results. Researchers however have taken observational research one step further and some firms conduct what is known as ethnographic research.

Where observational research involves no interaction, ethnographic research does. The researcher will interact with the research subject to gauge their feelings and opinions. It may involve observing the use of a product in a home, then asking respondents their views and opinions towards the use of this product. The research is usually done where the respondents live and work so researchers can get a real understanding of their behaviour and how these behaviours may impact on purchase decisions.

The mobile phone industry and games console industry are users of this type of research, they fully understand through ethnographic research that a mobile phone and games console can do much more than the basic function and consumers see these integral functions as a key part of their life. For example a mobile phone is an organiser, camera, video player a social tool, through ethnographic research mobile phone operators have better understood how users interact with their mobile device.#

Nintendo with the Wii have understood that a games console should be a way of bringing the family together, as traditional board games use to do. The Wii has been very successful in bringing family and friends together with devices such and Microsofts Kinnect for the Xbox 360 is following on in this strategy.

To summarise ethnographic research really looks into the insight of customer behaviours not just at a specific point in time but through the duration and use of the product and this helps marketers shape new future products and services that may appear in.

 

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