The Helsinki School of Economics explores ways to use Design Ethnography in Finnish Bottom of the Pyramid research

I met with a research team at the Helsinki School of Economics this past Friday to share fundamentals of Design Ethnography, as the team is exploring how they might use parts of this method in their upcoming Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) research.

I kicked off the half-day workshop by giving an overview of what Design Ethnography is and how it can be leveraged to support innovation and business development objectives. (You can download presentation given here.) Following my presentation, Dave Tait gave more details regarding the special considerations that must be taken into account when conducting research in BoP communities. He eloquently explored how research activities such as recruiting become much more difficult and gave practical tips and techniques regarding how to manage your time in the field, from how many of interviews to schedule per day to how to break through cultural and language barriers that you’re bound to face.

To the HSE research team, I wish you all the best of luck on this exciting project!

Categories: Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP), Emerging markets, Ethnographic research, Innovation, Low income markets, Strategy