Customer research too expensive? Unless you’re working for an university with stringent ethical requirements to meet – you’re making your job too hard. Ethnography* is everywhere.

Last night, after Girly Geeks, I was on the tube on the way home and beside me sat a man performing a task that I *wish* I could have designed for user testing… except I would never have thought of it. Oh, and I don’t have budget.

I watched him a while. Then I asked him if I could take a photo of what he was doing, and explained why I was interested.

Unfortunately we got to Oxford Circus and I had to get off the tube, otherwise I would probably still be in conversation with this guy about why he sits on the tube at 10.30pm on Tuesday evening circling TV listings in TimeOut.

Once he started talking, he had a big story to tell and a rationale for why he was doing this. Of course, it was all premised on the idea that he was ‘killing time’, but then he got into detailed explanations about the way that his personal video recorder worked and how many programs he could record or watch at the same time, and how he treated programs that he knew he like, to those he was still testing out, to those that were ‘experimental’ (his words).

Research is brilliant at helping us work out what the design problems are and how we might try to solve them. But not all projects have the budget or resources for a formal user research phase. Don’t let that put you off.

Ask the people you work with. Ask the people you live with. Ask people you know to ask people they know. Try to get some of their time and ask them some questions. You’ll be amazed how many are willing to help out for free.

People care about design – even if they don’t know it. And they love to be involved and to make a difference. And they have lots of stories to tell and they love that you’re interested in hearing them, and that you think those stories are important.

And, of course, they are important. And they’re everywhere.

Ethnography is everywhere. If you’re looking for it.

Image: man marking Time Out TV schedule on the Central Line tube last night. Larger image here.

*note: I use the term ‘ethnography’ in that kind of loose way that lots of us in HCI use it. Apologies to *real* ethnographers :)

• so you want to be an interaction designer 2006 (Adaptive Path)
  “Everything, it seems, is up for grabs—which makes it an excellent time to be or become an interaction designer.”… a great little piece by Dan Saffer
  (tags: interactiondesign)

World Usability Day fun continues. Here’s some more information about World Usability Day activities via an email from Clarissa Mattingly:

World Usability Day promotes the value of usability, user-centred design, and everyone’s desire for things that work better. This year, it will take place on Tuesday 14 November.

Over the course of 36 hours, events will be held around the globe. Last year, Sydney was among 70 cities in 30 countries which played host to free, public events. For each event, usability professionals dedicated a few hours of their time to get out the word that usability counts. Events included panel discussions, workshops, clinics, outdoor “scavenger hunts” and more. And the topics went beyond traditional web usability to cover product design, mobile devices, ergonomics and more.

There’s only 75 days to go, so make sure you get along to the planning day coming up on 1 September 2006. The planning day is all about getting things off the ground. Deciding what event will be, who will participate, where it will be held, and how it will be publicised. It’s crucial to the success of our event that it’s run by people from across our industry.

The informal get-together will be held at Different’s wharf-side offices in Pyrmont (see map)and starts at 4pm, Drinks and some delicious barbeque food will be available, as a small incentive for your participation!

If you would like to attend, please RSVP via [email protected] no later than COB Thursday 31 August 2006

And don’t forget to register your interest at the World Usability Day website!

Go on then. Get involved!

• Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story | Official Movie Site | Picturehouse
  an interesting interface design concept using the desktop metaphor
  (tags: desktop interfacedesign inspiration)
• ASIS&T Euro IA 2006: Conference site for the 2006 Euro IA
  anyone going?
  (tags: informationarchitecture conference)
• WikiCharts — Top 100 — 08/2006
  This tool shows the articles from the English Wikipedia that are viewed most. A fascinating mix. (via Ben Barren)
  (tags: wikipedia socialSoftware)
• The Power of Persona (Experience Architect, from Live Path: Experience Toolkit)
  When rallying the troops, getting back to basics and keeping it simple can be powerful. One of the best ways to do this is to harness the power of persona.
  (tags: personas)