“Great design is a multi-layered relationship between human life and its environment.”

 

—Naoto Fukasawa

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Overview
Design ethnography bridges anthropology and design to illuminate how people live within evolving social and technological worlds (van Dijk, 2011). Pink et al. (2022) describe it as a “way of knowing in design,” where observation, participation, and reflection uncover tacit needs and cultural meanings embedded in everyday life. Two illustrative examples frame this introduction: IDEO’s Shopping Cart Project (1999), featured on ABC Nightline, demonstrates how ethnographic inquiry can inspire innovation through in-depth user observation and cross-disciplinary collaboration, while Simon Sinek’s podcast, A Bit of Optimism, showcases how empathetic and authentic interviewing can elicit meaningful human stories. 

 

At the beginning of the course, students are introduced to design ethnography as both a mindset and a method, emphasizing its significance within Urban Technology (UT). Through case discussions and reflective and interactive exercises, students explore how listening, empathy, and contextual inquiry form the foundation for designing with—not merely for—people. The goal is to cultivate curiosity about the invisible structures that shape our shared urban experiences. Through the peoplescape lens, students learn that observing is itself an act of design.

 

Reflections

• How does design ethnography challenge the traditional notion of designers as “problem-solvers” by positioning them as listeners and interpreters of context?

• When observing everyday life, what surprised you about the social and emotional dimensions embedded in routine human behaviors?

 

References

• IDEO (1999). ABC Nightline: Shopping Cart Project.

• Pink, S., Fors, V., Lanzeni, D., Duque, M., Sumartojo, S., & Strengers, Y. (2022). Design Ethnography: Research, Responsibilities, and Futures. Routledge.

• van Dijk, G. (2011). Design Ethnography: Taking Inspiration from Everyday Life. BIS Publishers.