Sage UX: How Anthropology Can Improve Your UX Practice

Sage UX
How Anthropology
Can Improve Your UX Practice

Annette Priest
@annettepriest
#uxcam

Friday, November 30, 2012

How Can Anthropology
Improve Your UX
Practice?


Anthropology is the study of humankind.
Of all the disciplines that examine aspects of human
existence and accomplishments, only anthropology explores
the entire panorama of the human experience from human
origins to contemporary forms of culture and social life.

#SageUX

Anthropology is the study of humankind.
existence and accomplishments, only anthropology explores
the entire panorama of the human experience from human
origins to contemporary forms of culture and social life.

The practice of user experience includes research, design
and analysis.
use of tools, only UX explores
the entire panorama of the user experience from interface
design to interactions and ﬂow.

#SageUX

What We’ll Cover
Basic Principles of Anthropology

Specialities within Anthropology

Key concepts to apply in your UX practice


5,700 ...


Photo: http://pt.fotopedia.com/items/ﬂickr-1712161034

Photo: http://maa.cam.ac.uk/assemblingbodies/exhibition/measurement/typologies/


Business Needs
vs.
User Needs


What can we learn from
anthropology?


“All service, therefore, which a
man can perform for humanity
must serve to promote truth.”
— Franz Boas

#SageUX Photo: http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/news-events/media/view/franz-boas

Cultural Relativism


Culture and UX
Culture cannot be divorced UX cannot be divorced
from biology and from biology and
adaptation, nor language adaptation, nor language
from culture. from UX.

Contemporary societies UI cannot be understood
cannot be understood without considering
without considering historical and evolutionary
historical and evolutionary processes.
processes.

#SageUX

Systems thinking


Use a Framework


Pick a Branch


Anthropological Disciplines
Sociocultural anthropology

Biological/physical anthropology

Archaeology

Linguistics

#SageUX

Anthropology UX
ethnographic research
Sociocultural Anthropology user research
usability testing
Biological / Physical human factors
Anthropology cognitive science
ergonomics
user interface design
Archaeology visual design
web analytics
competitive evaluations
Linguistic Anthropology information architecture
writing
icons
#SageUX

Evaluating Culture
Land
Language
Values
Clothing
Tools
Rituals
Genealogy
Hierarchy


Methods
Direct Observation
Objects
Photos
Field notes
Interviews
Drawings
Video
Audio Recordings

Secondary Research


Explore and Analyze


#SageUX Photo: http://www.fullhdwpp.com/gadgets/olympus-lenses

What lenses are YOU
looking through?


Photo: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/151232main_image_feature_601_ys_4.jpg

Status


#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/31926190899/spray-the-dom

#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/31889546994/monaco-yacht-party

Photo:
#SageUX http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/27481414342/welcome-to-st-tropez-by-annabelschwartz

#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/29146284949/arm-candy

#SageUX Photo: http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/ﬂickr-4342651-hd.jpg

#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/29903040615/strategic-pout

#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/31810730781/dom-in-the-pool

#SageUX Photo: http://richkidsoﬁnstagram.tumblr.com/post/30998996245/louisvuitton-gun

#SageUX Photo by geograph.org.uk/UrbanSpaceman

#SageUX Photo: http://i-likeitalot.com/2012/07/louis-vuitton-opens-maison-ﬂagship-store-in-china/

#SageUX Photo: http://www.perrier-jouet.com/en/exclusive-offers/by-for

#SageUX Photo: http://samanthahighﬁll.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/gift-giving-guide/

It’s all too much

#SageUX

#SageUX Photo:http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/ﬁnlayson-arm.html

Photo: http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/ﬁnlayson-arm.html


#SageUX Photo: ﬂickr/wburris http://www.ﬂickr.com/people/billburris/

#SageUX Photo: http://schools.nashua.edu/myclass/knoetige/ArtHistory1/ch30/30-12.jpg

#SageUX Photo: http://www.canadianheritage.org/images/large/23257.jpg

Above: Tlingit Chiefs, dressed in full regalia, gathered at a Potlatch ceremony in Sitka in 1904.

#SageUX Photo: http://blog.linedandunlined.com/post/404917364/form-giving

#SageUX Photo: http://www.kwakiutl.bc.ca/culture/potlatch.htm

#SageUX

1884 - The Indian Act is revised
Section 3:
Every Indian or other person who engages in or assists
in celebrating the Indian festival known as the
“Potlatch” or the Indian dance known as the
“Tamanawas” is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be
liable to imprisonment for a term not more than six nor
less than two months in any gaol or other place of
confinement; and, any Indian or other person who
encourages, either directly or indirectly, an Indian or
Indians to get up such a festival or dance, or to
celebrate the same, or who shall assist in the celebration
of same is guilty of a like offence, and shall be liable to
the same punishment.

#SageUX

#SageUX Photo: http://www.salmonﬁshingnow.com/

#SageUX Photo: http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/imlsdcc/5063156652/sizes/o/in/photostream/

#SageUX Photo: http://www.ﬁrstnations.de/ﬁsheries/kwakwakawakw-kwakiutl.htm

Ruth Benedict

#SageUX Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_Benedict.jpg

What was missing?
• Impact of disease

• Population changes

• Labor market

• New income sources

• The long view

#SageUX

Good UX progressively supports
culture, cortex and company

Can you move?

How do you feel?

Can you give me the details of the accident?

#SageUX

Be Ethical


Ethics = Obligations
Anthropological researchers, teachers and practitioners
are members of many different communities, each with its
own moral rules or codes of ethics. Anthropologists have
moral obligations as members of other groups, such as the
family, religion, and community, as well as the profession.

Anthropology:
• Scholarly discipline
• Wider society & culture
• Human species
• Other species
• Environment

#SageUX

Ethics = Obligations
Anthropological researchers, teachers and practitioners
are members of many different communities, each with its
own moral rules or codes of ethics. Anthropologists have
moral obligations as members of other groups, such as the
family, religion, and community, as well as the profession.

Anthropology: UX:
• Scholarly discipline • Your company
• Wider society & culture • Your client
• Human species • Your customers
• Other species • Your team
• Environment • Your coworkers
• Your company
#SageUX

“Never doubt that a
small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed,
it is the only thing that
ever has.”
— Margaret Mead

#SageUX

Anthropology Can Improve Your
UX Practice Through

Holistic Perspective
Systems Thinking
Use a Framework
Understand your bias - work to mitigate it!
Hypothesis Generation
Evidence Based Approach
Ethics


Anthropology compared to UX
Holistic perspective -
understanding humankind understanding user
in terms of the dynamic experience in terms of the
interrelationships of all dynamic interrelationships
aspects of human of all aspects of UX:
existence. human factors
user interface
information architecture
visual design
competitive landscape
user expectations

#SageUX

Anthropology is a generalizing and comparative discipline
with a concern for understanding human diversity on a
global scale.

Anthropologists conduct:
• Empirical research with
• established theories
• methods
• analytical techniques
• Field-based research
• Laboratory analysis
• Archival investigations

#SageUX

From Overview
Switch perspective seamlessly
• business needs vs user needs
• bias from who’s paying you
• maintain neutrality
Key concepts from anthropology to apply to your UX practice
• keeping focus on getting answers
• ethical responsibilities for researchers
• lessons learned from different teams and cultures


Start with what’s on the
surface, then excavate -
Go carefully
Be delicate


Common Skills
Knowing more about the world
- global literacy, sensitivity to other cultures

Thinking outside the box
- creative/innovative, finding patterns in complex and chaotic, cross disciplinary

Becoming smarter about new sources of information
- critically evaluate dynamic flow of information, understand different forms of
representation, methods of communication

Developing good people skills
-communication proficiency across social/cultural differences, emotional
intelligence, work in teams

#SageUX

Thanks!
Annette Priest

annette@revelinsight.com
revelinsight.com


Holistic perspectives
Anthropology UX
understanding humankind understanding user
in terms of the dynamic experience in terms of the
interrelationships of all dynamic interrelationships
aspects of human of all aspects of UX:
existence. human factors
user interface
information architecture
visual design
competitive landscape
user expectations

#SageUX

Common skills in both fields
Knowing more about the world
- global literacy, sensitivity to other cultures

Thinking outside the box
- creative/innovative, finding patterns in complex and chaotic, cross disciplinary

Becoming smarter about new sources of information
- critically evaluate dynamic flow of information, understand different forms of
representation, methods of communication

Developing good people skills
-communication proficiency across social/cultural differences, emotional
intelligence, work in teams

#SageUX

Thanks!
Annette Priest
annette@revelinsight.com
http://revelinsight.com


Photo Credits
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31926190899/spray-the- http://www.housing.ubc.ca/files/van/images/totem/
dom First_Nations_map_3.jpg
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31889546994/monaco- http://www.kwakiutl.bc.ca/culture/potlatch.htm
yacht-party
http://www.salmonfishingnow.com/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/27481414342/welcome-to-
Photo from North Olympic Library, Port Angeles, WA
st-tropez-by-annabelschwartz
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imlsdcc/5063156652/sizes/o/in/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/29146284949/arm-candy
photostream/
http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-4342651-hd.jpg
http://socialsciencebookdesign.wordpress.com/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/29903040615/strategic-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_Benedict.jpg
pout
Photo from Duke University Cultural Anthropology Media Catalog
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31810730781/dom-in-the-
pool http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/news-events/media/view/franz-
boas
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/30998996245/louisvuitton-
gun http://www.esri.com/news/releases/11-1qtr/goodall.html
Photo by geograph.org.uk/UrbanSpaceman http://wrestlingtheangel.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/jane-goodalls-
reason-for-hope-why-evolution-is-a-beautiful-idea/
http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/4942
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?
http://i-likeitalot.com/2012/07/louis-vuitton-opens-maison-flagship-
imgurl=0cfb64c2b1fa5b0c&q=anthropologist
store-in-china/
+source:life&ei=wWwjSY34A5j2sAPyw4C7CA&sig2=KC7Ee-
http://www.perrier-jouet.com/en/exclusive-offers/by-for ujkFoFf-9SBmob7w&usg=__5v2VI7I7KgF0YnLaE3jiA9ZoP_g=&prev=/
images%3Fq%3Danthropologist%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Den
http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/finlayson-arm.html
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/
Photo by: flickr/wburris ( http://www.flickr.com/people/billburris/ )
151232main_image_feature_601_ys_4.jpg
http://schools.nashua.edu/myclass/knoetige/ArtHistory1/
http://www.fullhdwpp.com/gadgets/olympus-lenses
ch30/30-12.jpg
http://www.wildchimpanzees.org/media/photo_gallery_jpg/
Photo from http://samanthahighfill.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/gift-
goodall_40.jpg
giving-guide/
http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/06/06/photographic-preview-a-
http://www.canadianheritage.org/images/large/23257.jpg
visit-with-breanna-livie-the-golden-closet-behind-the-scenes-at-
http://blog.linedandunlined.com/post/404917364/form-giving eastern-costume/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Wawadit%27la


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