Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative research methodology originating from anthropology that involves the systematic study of people and cultures through immersive observation and participation in their natural environments. It aims to understand social phenomena, behaviors, and cultural contexts from the perspective of the subjects being studied, often producing rich, descriptive data. In technology and development contexts, it is used to gain deep insights into user needs, workflows, and social dynamics to inform design and product decisions.
Developers should learn ethnography when working on user-centered products, especially in fields like UX research, human-computer interaction, or social computing, to build empathy and create solutions that align with real-world user behaviors and cultural norms. It is valuable for uncovering latent needs, validating assumptions, and improving usability in complex systems, such as enterprise software, healthcare applications, or community platforms, where understanding context is critical for success.