Our Water 01

What do we mean by "seeing the water"?

David Foster Wallace began his 2005 Commencement Speech at Kenyon College with a curious story: "Two fish are swimming along when they happen across an older fish, who nods and says, “Morning boys. How’s the water?” The two younger fish swim along for a bit before the one turns to the other and asks, “What the hell is water?” The point of the story, Wallace goes on to say, is “merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.” He goes on to develop this simple story into a powerful thesis that by paying close attention to the most mundane aspects of our existence we can begin to see our lives in a more meaningful light.

For those of us at Quotient, “seeing the water,” means that we are not bound to a particular way of seeing things and that new perspectives have the power to open up new worlds. In all our work and teaching we hope to follow Wallace’s example and not dispense ivory-tower wisdom, but instead try to illuminate the profound significance of what we all know by simply being human.

What is Ethnographic Interviewing?

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Is an extended open-ended conversation exploring needs, emotions, and aspirations

Talk about how is

How is Ethnographic Research Different than UX Research?

Ethnography and UX are distinct but complementary approaches. Both aim to understand user needs and create user-centered solutions. However, ethnography ... to understand the meanings associated with those needs.

Ethnographic Research

Lays the foundation for robust solutions
Provides information that we can’t get from quantitative data
Identifies needs that are poorly articulated or unspoken
Suggests multiple possible solutions -- not tied to a single solution
Goes beyond correlation to causality
Explains how to succeed in the culture(s) of the user

UX Design & Research

Leverages insights from ethnography to inform solutions
Validates the usability of the solutions
Provides granular feedback on features and implementation

Why Interview Extreme Users?

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Why Small Numbers Work: Cultural Consensus Theory

If you are looking for cultural information, you do not need a large random sample. After you’ve asked 3 or 4 people from the US, “how many strikes until you’re out in baseball?” you’ll start to get tired of asking because the answer will be the same. If you are studying a group that is competent in a specific culture or sub-culture (as most Americans are in baseball, even if they don’t like it), you only need to interview a small sample to be reasonably sure that your answers are correct, according to the norms of that culture.
- Cultural Consensus Theory, Weller, 2007

Quantitative studies (large, random samples) are good for validating an idea. Small ethnographic studies based in Cultural Consensus Theory, are better for recognizing new opportunities, and for generating the questions to be validated in a later quant study. For example, if you ask 1000 people if they prefer Coke or Pepsi, you will only get one of two answers – and neither one may be what people really feel! An ethnographic study might reveal that people are tired of soda are more interested in Mystery-Mix juices. The subsequent quant study could now include Coke, Pepsi, and Mystery-Mix.

The general rules of thumb with Cultural Consensus Theory are:

You must interview a non-random sample, carefully selected to be competent in the sub-culture you are studying (baseball fans, fixed-gear cyclists, coffee enthusiasts, etc).
Ask open-ended questions (no multiple choice, no leading questions).
Interview respondents one-on-one so that group dynamics don’t confuse results
Keep asking the same questions until the answers begin to converge and you’re not getting any new information. For simple things like the “correct” way to cross the street, or describing baseball, the convergence will be fast. Other, more complex cultural norms take more time to converge. For example, the conflict between two versions of being a “good” mom – lots of home baked sweets as an expression of love vs. having healthy, thin kids (no sweets) – evolves over several interviews.

Thick Data vs. Big Data

What does a project deliverable look like?

At the end of a research study, we provide clients with ... , including:

New Opportunity Space (product or a new market space) based on real customer needs. E.g. we created for Clif – here are categories of bars people want, Shure as an example of new market and product.

Design Imperatives:ways to evaluate based on design imperative

Design: Michael’s drawing from the Showering study, Fridgepack

What products have come out of our work?

Below are just some examples of some of the . For a detailed view of our projects, please visit the consulting section.

Shure Personal Stage Monitors
Our research reframed Shure's understanding of their user needs (The story changed from hearing protection to sound quality, control, mobility and portability) a story that appealed to performers at all levels. By understanding the social dynamics associated with creating music, Shure was able to conceive of an entire system that reframed how live music is produced.

Pull-Ups
Our concept, Huggies Pull-Ups, was the first disposable training pants product in the market, creating a new category with incremental revenues that have topped $700 million per year. Learn More

FridgePack
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