Reference Information
Title - There's methodology in the madness: toward critical HCI enthnography
Authors - Amanda M. Williams, Lilly Irani
Editors - ACM New York, NY, USA ©2010
Authors - Amanda M. Williams, Lilly Irani
Editors - ACM New York, NY, USA ©2010
Summary
This article written by Amanda M. Williams, and Lilly Irani begins by discussing the roles of users, designers, and ethnographers in the HCI process. They also expain the differences between Information Technology for Development and do-it-yourself societies. The authors go on to explain the importance of mobility in the HCI process.Also, the authors discuss the difference between "distance" and "difference." They explain that even though two socities are very far apart, it is not completely unlikely that the same piece of software could work for users in both societies. In the end, the authors are simply giving various reasons as to why and how the process of ethnography in the HCI process should and could be changed.
This article written by Amanda M. Williams, and Lilly Irani begins by discussing the roles of users, designers, and ethnographers in the HCI process. They also expain the differences between Information Technology for Development and do-it-yourself societies. The authors go on to explain the importance of mobility in the HCI process.Also, the authors discuss the difference between "distance" and "difference." They explain that even though two socities are very far apart, it is not completely unlikely that the same piece of software could work for users in both societies. In the end, the authors are simply giving various reasons as to why and how the process of ethnography in the HCI process should and could be changed.
Discussion
I really enjoyed this article for several reasons. The article gives the reader a very good background on HCI and its ethnographic methods. I really liked how the author explained the roles of users, designers, and ethnographers throughout the HCI process. Also, the topic involving multi-sited ethnography was also very interesting. I really enjoyed the perspective about how the technology can be improved by moving it from site to site. My favorite quote from this article was, " Following the device, people, or bits as they move shows that human-computer interaction is not something that occurs purely between the human and the device, nor is the meaningfulness of technology embedded within the individual."
I actually didn't pick up on the site-to-site idea until you mentioned it. That's a cool concept of moving technology to different settings and seeing how that affects how it is used or something. I had trouble grasping a lot of what the paper had to say, so I really enjoy reading what others got from it. Especially since I am the one who's supposed to present it to the class.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the ethnography done on technology should be done the same as it is done on people (such as Coming of Age in Samoa) or should it be approached in a different way. I have trouble distinguishing when one must stop studying people and start studying the technology they are using.
ReplyDelete