We know more and more about users. We ask them in surveys, run usability tests, and talk to them in interviews. And all of this has value. But… often, it’s still not enough. That’s where ethnography helps – revealing what other methods fail to capture.
Because when someone tries to explain whether they really locked the door when leaving the house, doubt creeps in. “I left, I think I turned the key… did I? Or did I just think about it?” That’s a good example of a habit at work. We perform this action hundreds of times, until we stop registering it consciously.
It’s the same in everyday life – we instinctively check notifications on our phones, read emails, click ‘accept’ in a company system, scroll through chat messages. We don’t even realise we’ve made decisions. That’s why it’s so hard to talk about them when someone asks directly.
That’s exactly why we turn to ethnography in research because it’s a method that allows us to step back and notice things users themselves no longer see.
How ethnography helps in the digital world
It may seem that ethnography is all about fieldwork – walking around a factory, visiting a mine, observing a salesperson in their workplace. And indeed, we also conduct it in this form. If you’re curious, we’ve described exactly what such research looks like in practice. 👉
But the digital world offers us new opportunities. Today, ethnography also works brilliantly in studying communication and digital workplaces, where users interact daily with apps, systems, and various types of notifications.
When studying digital communication, tools such as ethnographic diaries (also known as diary studies) prove to be very effective, allowing users to document their experiences in real time.
How to study digital communication – an example from diary studies
Ethnographic research in digital communication uncovers genuine reactions to messages and notifications – reactions we rarely analyse consciously in our everyday lives.
One of our projects involved studying push communication – notifications that appear on phone screens to remind users about offers, promotions, or events. Over the course of 10 days, participants received specific tasks each day. We asked them, for example, to:
- take screenshots of notifications that caught their attention or that they clicked on,
- share their initial reactions and thoughts,
- assess the language, visuals, and tone of the communication,
- describe what they found annoying and what they found helpful,
- indicate how personalisation and frequency influenced their feelings.
All of this was done in real time, in a natural context – when the notifications actually arrived, rather than a week later in a meeting with a researcher.
Importantly, participants weren’t asked to write essays. Their responses were free, spontaneous, often written “in the moment”. This is of huge value because we see the authentic language users use in their daily thoughts and conversations.
And because emotions are often hard to express in writing, we also ask participants for voice recordings. Thanks to this, we can hear not only what they say, but also how they say it. And sometimes little gems emerge, like one participant’s remark: “This message didn’t trigger any emotions… It really annoys me when I get messages like this.” In that single, short statement, she captured a whole emotional mix we might never have picked up otherwise.
Why AI won’t replace ethnography
When AI tools first started appearing on the market, many people asked the question: can artificial intelligence now replace the researcher? It sounds tempting, but even the most advanced AI doesn’t see the context. It doesn’t pick up on situational nuances, subtle gestures, or emotional undertones.
AI is an excellent support: it helps organise data, transcribe statements, and categorise themes. But it cannot replace the researcher – the one who observes, listens, and connects the dots to create a meaningful whole. Because research is not just about collecting data – it is, above all, about interpreting it in context.
How we work at EDISONDA
We know very well that to design something that truly works, you first need to understand the people who will use it. Personally, I strongly believe in the approach: “Design for all of us begins with design for each of us.”
We don’t assume we know everything. But we do know how to observe and ask the right questions to uncover needs that are sometimes not even obvious to the users themselves. We know how to analyse data from diaries, recordings, and observations and how to turn these insights into specific recommendations for products, services, and communication.
We use a range of tools – sometimes a simple diary using an available platform like WhatsApp is enough, and other times we turn to dedicated mobile ethnography platforms. But one thing always remains the most important: the person and their real experience.
What does ethnography offer in the digital world?
- It reveals what users won’t say outright.
- It uncovers habits, patterns, and emotions we’re not even aware of.
- It shows how digital systems, workplaces, and communication really function.
- It helps design solutions that meet real needs.
Because to design well, you need to understand well. And that’s what ethnography is all about.
