Paper Reading #1 There's Methodology in the Madness: Towards Critical HCI Ethnography

Comments

Comment #1: Ethan Ballinger

Comment #2: Brian Meyer

Reference Information:

Title: There's Methodology in the Madness: Towards Critical HCI Ethnography

Authors: Amanda Williams; Lilly Irani

Conference: CHI 2010 - Atlanta, GA, USA

Summary

This paper discuss the qualitative research in HCI ethonography and how it has shifted from defined methods to methodology. It references anthropology and it's use of ethnography and how yet it's not the traditional view of "observing" rather engaging with the users on a set of methodology principles that have transitioned over time from traditional, former practices. The results show that communities merged according to similar functioning groups found globally (as found from observing DIY community practices). Due to this critical turn taken it is criteria for ethnographic rigor to impact HCI design research.

Ethnography as it impacts design (Source)

Discussion

Their is a great difference in the way that anthropology studies groups and the way that ethnography in HCI applies it. This topic was interesting and it is true that over time technology has spurred us to a similar way of functioning. While I think that in some areas methodology could be similar for design implementation products that are more universal, I am unsure at how constant that claim would be true in all other cases.