Comparison
When to use ethnographic research, and when not to
A quick test for whether a research question needs ethnography. The right side lists the six situations where field observation pays off, from early discovery and new markets to contradictory research and needs people can't put into words. The left side lists three cases where a survey, a usability test or an A/B test is the better tool. Use it when planning a study or pushing back on a request for the wrong method.
Where this appears
What's in this comparison
Use something else when
- You need statistically significant data at scale: use surveys and analytics
- You're checking a UI flow before launch: use usability testing
- You're testing a solution to a validated problem: use A/B testing
Use ethnography when
- You're in discovery, before deciding what to build
- You're entering a new market where assumptions are likely wrong
- You're designing for complex workflows like healthcare or logistics
- Analytics show unexpected drop-off or workarounds
- Your existing research contradicts itself
- You need latent needs people have normalized or can't put into words
Use this image
Free to use in your docs, decks and posts under CC BY 4.0, as long as you credit Koji with a link to this page. To embed it, paste this into your page:
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-use-ethnographic-research"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-use-ethnographic-research/when-to-use-ethnographic-research.png" alt="Comparison of when ethnographic research fits, such as discovery and complex workflows, and when surveys, usability tests or A/B tests fit better." width="1200" height="831" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/when-to-use-ethnographic-research">When to use ethnographic research, and when not to</a>, Koji</p>
