Ethnography and Prototypes

After reading two articles on Ethnography, which is best described as observing people and analyzing their behaviors, etc. for use in a productive manner, I realized that I do that all the time. I would imagine everyone does to some degree. However, now I have a word for it! Seeing how people interact in their own environment to understand why they do what they do and how their experience could be improved is critical in the design world. It helps us create things that are better and easier to use for the people who matter, the users. 

An example in the text was within a car manufacturer, putting in a cupholder for the driver was crucial. However, they went the non-traditional route of putting an individual cupholder on the left for the driver to avoid distraction whilst driving. Rather innovative, as the cupholder on the left is within the driver's line of sight if they are watching the road as they should.

The article I read next, "Design Moves" by Sharon Helmer Poggenpohl, talked about observing how a design communicated with it's user. It also talked about how design is really a way to envision the future by making the abstract reachable and engaging users in actively finding solutions, among other things. 

The last large point was education on the different types and purposes of prototypes, and where they fall in the design process. The four types are conceptual prototypes, behavioral prototypes, procedural prototypes, and appearance prototypes. The conceptual merely displays a particular aspect of the final product and may not resemble the outcome at all. Behavioral are designed to collect data about how people interact with the product through their use. Procedural prototypes check for kinks in the overall process of the product. Lastly, appearance prototypes are created to see how users react to the aesthetic of the product and whether its design is associated with negative or positive connotations by the general public.

What interesting things to know. Defining human behaviors and processes like this that I, as a designer, utilize is the first step to honing these skills within myself. 

-RM