Jorge Alves GIT 2005-06 16

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Applied Ethnography and Clarks Shoes

What do they have in common?

Jorge Alves GIT 2005-06 16

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Ethnography

• Description & study of human cultures (from the “natives” point of view)

• Originated in Anthropology• It is “qualitative” research

– techniques include observation, traces, interviews and conversations

Jorge Alves GIT 2005-06 16

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Applied Ethnography

• To bring consumers and customers points of view to designers and NPD developers

Jorge Alves GIT 2005-06 16

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Applied ethnography projects

• From a few days to months• Can be expensive• Provide deep insight customers’ emerging

and unmet needs• Most useful at earlier phases of NPD (fuzzy

phases)• Good way to discover differences between

what people say and what they do

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Applied Ethnography Recent Evolution

• Self-reporting (including e-versions)– Written docs (diaries), photos, videos

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Applied Ethnography in Xerox (1980)

• Filmed office workers making photo-copieswith Xerox machines

• This showed people were confused• Led to new design, including quick copy

large green button found now in most machines

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Applied Ethnography in Intel and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions

• Observation of doctors showed they face time constraints that prevent them from accessing people, info and resources useful for optimum prescription

• This led to development of wireless devices that help in prescription and billing

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Applied Ethnography in Motorola

• Chinese businessman in rural areas with no phone-services used elaborate systems to send coded messages with pagers

• This led to development of 2-way pagers for Chinese market

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Applied Ethnography

• Written notes• Voice-recordings• Photography• Video-taping

• Ethical questions– People should be aware they are being observed, and

consent.– This may change their behaviour

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Clarks

• 175 years old footwear company, largest in UK

• Renowned for comfort, quality• Rather conservative

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Changes

• Lifestyle developments spurred “active leisure clothing and footwear” market (fast growing)– Profitable to Nike, Timberland, Mephisto, ...

• Clarks decided in 2001 to conceive new generation of active footwear– Needed to understand buying habits, end use

and expectations of “active walker consumer”

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Clarks’ Ethnographic Research

• Ethnographic research near consumers and retailers– Interviewed, videotaped leisure and walking

enthusiasts– Explored how wardrobes reflected individual

lifestyles– Cross-correlated info

• eg, to reveal how customers compared boots and 4-wheel-drive cars

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Clarks’ Ethnographic Research

• Ethnographic research near consumers and retailers– Followed / shadowed walkers in mountains and

national parks• Developed more precise meaning to words like

“comfort”, “fit”, “safety”– Observed shopping experiences in high-street

and specialist outdoor shops• To develop new retail brand marketing programme

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Clarks’ Ethnographic Research

• Incorporated “prototype field trials” in design process, to test physical and emotional reaction to new features

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Clarks’ Ethnographic ResearchResults

• Foot-bed that cradles foot, reduces movement and friction

• Sole torsion plate and more efficient heel shock pad

• Highly effective water proof membrane• Sole thread that expels water and residue (instead

of collecting them)• New tongue and lace design

– Low “fiddle factor” (easy to put boots on and off)

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Clarks’ Ethnographic ResearchResults

• Specification of a POS presentation scheme and supporting marketing material