Ethnographic Methods for Human Factors Researchers: Collecting and Interweaving Threads of HCI

Abstract

This course offers an introduction to ethnography for Human Factors Research. It covers relevant topics along the research process from decision arguments for the method and study design, up to data collection, analysis and interpretation. Ethical questions will include the researcher s role(s) in the field and modes of data presentation. The collection of multi-dimensional sets of data - a trademark of high-quality ethnographic work - enables inter-weaving threads of HCI perspectives in complex human factors and user research contexts. To achieve this, a comprehensive toolbox of ethnographic methods is introduced along with practical hands-on sessions to familiarize with these methodological instruments.