AGENCY PERSPECTIVES ON INDUSTRY DIGITAL ETHNOGRAPHY

Abstract

Our intention is to share some of our experiences and methodologies as a research agency practicing applied digital ethnography in industry spaces. We aim to bring the perspective of our agency to AoIR 2024’s theme of industry so that we can share, engage, and facilitate discussions with scholars interested in applications of digital ethnography outside academia. We will explore the challenges of introducing ethnography into industry spaces and discuss our approaches. These include strategic data storytelling to confront bias and stigma from industry leadership, triangulation of data through multiple methodologies and sources to combat skepticism around qualitative data, using ethnographic analysis as an engine for synthesizing data across different models, maintaining the fast-paced operational speed required in the industry, and working within the tension between leadership and their publics. Our insights are primarily based on our own research experience. However, we also connect our experiences and methodologies with scholarly theory on ethnographic definitions/key concepts, informal discussion ethnography, ethics in digital ethnography, and triangulation of varied sources and perspectives in ethnography. We have been conducting digital ethnography for almost two decades. We draw from this extensive body of work, including perspectives on how online behavior and platform changes have influenced our research methods. We not only bring scholarly ethnographic theory into industrial arenas but also have extensive experience operationalizing these theories in live settings due to the fast pace at which we complete projects for clients. Our work continues with a diverse client base across government, healthcare, education sectors among others.