Ethnographic Practice and the Problem of Context in Interaction Design Education

Abstract

This paper investigates the concept of context as it relates to interaction design education. Based on the results of research in which interaction design students suggest that the need to learn business contexts are as important as understanding user contexts, I argue for the application of ethnographic methods to the problem of teaching the contexts of business. This is a novel approach that shifts the historical focus of ethnographic practices in interaction design from analyzing users to analyzing the business field. To do this, I first explain some terms—context, interaction design, and ethnography. Second, I analyze the results of the survey and interview session to get a full sense of the importance of context to interaction design students. Finally, I explain the value of incorporating ethnographic practices.