Sage UX - How Understanding Anthropology Can Help You Improve UX

Sage UX
How Understanding Anthropology
Can Help You Improve UX

Annette Priest
@annettepriest
#SageUX

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

#SageUX

It’s all too much

#SageUX

1884 - The Indian Act is revised
Section 3:
Every Indian or other person who engages in or assists
in celebrating the Indian festival known as the
“Potlatch” or the Indian dance known as the
“Tamanawas” is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be
liable to imprisonment for a term not more than six nor
less than two months in any gaol or other place of
confinement; and, any Indian or other person who
encourages, either directly or indirectly, an Indian or
Indians to get up such a festival or dance, or to
celebrate the same, or who shall assist in the celebration
of same is guilty of a like offence, and shall be liable to
the same punishment.

#SageUX

Ruth Benedict

#SageUX

What was missing?
• Impact of disease

• Population changes

• Labor market

• New income sources

• The long view

#SageUX

Anthropology is the study of humankind.
Of all the disciplines that examine aspects of human
existence and accomplishments, only anthropology explores
the entire panorama of the human experience from human
origins to contemporary forms of culture and social life.

#SageUX

Anthropology is the study of humankind.
existence and accomplishments, only anthropology explores
the entire panorama of the human experience from human
origins to contemporary forms of culture and social life.

The practice of user experience includes research, design
and analysis.
use of tools, only UX explores
the entire panorama of the user experience from interface
design to interactions and ﬂow.

#SageUX

“All service, therefore, which a
man can perform for humanity
must serve to promote truth.”
— Franz Boas

#SageUX

Historical Particularism
Cultural customs explained by:

• environmental conditions

• psychological factors

• historical connections

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Anthropological Disciplines
Sociocultural anthropology

Biological/physical anthropology

Archaeology

Linguistics

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Anthropology compared to UX
ethnographic research
Sociocultural Anthropology user research
usability testing
Biological / Physical human factors
Anthropology cognitive science
ergonomics
user interface design
Archaeology visual design
web analytics
competitive evaluation
Linguistic Anthropology user expectations
information architecture
#SageUX

Culture and UX
Culture cannot be divorced UX cannot be divorced
from biology and from biology and
adaptation, nor language adaptation, nor language
from culture. from UX.

Contemporary societies UX cannot be understood
cannot be understood without considering
without considering historical and evolutionary
historical and evolutionary processes.
processes.

#SageUX

Anthropology compared to UX
Holistic perspective -
understanding humankind understanding user
in terms of the dynamic experience in terms of the
interrelationships of all dynamic interrelationships
aspects of human of all aspects of UX:
existence. human factors
user interface
information architecture
visual design
competitive landscape
user expectations

#SageUX

Anthropology is a generalizing and comparative discipline
with a concern for understanding human diversity on a
global scale.

Anthropologists conduct:
• Empirical research with
• established theories
• methods
• analytical techniques
• Field-based research
• Laboratory analysis
• Archival investigations

#SageUX

Common skills
Knowing more about the world
- global literacy, sensitivity to other cultures

Thinking outside the box
- creative/innovative, finding patterns in complex and chaotic, cross disciplinary

Becoming smarter about new sources of information
- critically evaluate dynamic flow of information, understand different forms of
representation, methods of communication

Developing good people skills
-communication proficiency across social/cultural differences, emotional
intelligence, work in teams

#SageUX

Ethics

“It is inevitable that misunderstandings, conﬂicts, and the
need to make choices among apparently incompatible
values will arise.”

#SageUX

Ethics = Obligations
Anthropological researchers, teachers and practitioners
are members of many different communities, each with its
own moral rules or codes of ethics. Anthropologists have
moral obligations as members of other groups, such as the
family, religion, and community, as well as the profession.

Anthropology:
• Scholarly discipline
• Wider society & culture
• Human species
• Other species
• Environment

#SageUX

Ethics = Obligations
Anthropological researchers, teachers and practitioners
are members of many different communities, each with its
own moral rules or codes of ethics. Anthropologists have
moral obligations as members of other groups, such as the
family, religion, and community, as well as the profession.

Anthropology: UX:
• Scholarly discipline • Your company
• Wider society & culture • Your client
• Human species • Your customers
• Other species • Your team
• Environment • Your coworkers
• Your company
#SageUX

Good UX progressively supports
culture, cortex and company

Can you move?

How do you feel?

Can you give me the details of the accident?

#SageUX

Jane Goodall

#SageUX

“Never doubt that a
small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed,
it is the only thing that
ever has.”
— Margaret Mead

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Photo Credits
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31926190899/spray-the- http://www.housing.ubc.ca/files/van/images/totem/
dom First_Nations_map_3.jpg
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31889546994/monaco- http://www.kwakiutl.bc.ca/culture/potlatch.htm
yacht-party
http://www.salmonfishingnow.com/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/27481414342/welcome-to-
Photo from North Olympic Library, Port Angeles, WA
st-tropez-by-annabelschwartz
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imlsdcc/5063156652/sizes/o/in/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/29146284949/arm-candy
photostream/
http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-4342651-hd.jpg
http://socialsciencebookdesign.wordpress.com/
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/29903040615/strategic-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_Benedict.jpg
pout
Photo from Duke University Cultural Anthropology Media Catalog
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/31810730781/dom-in-the-
pool http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/news-events/media/view/franz-
boas
http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/post/30998996245/louisvuitton-
gun http://www.esri.com/news/releases/11-1qtr/goodall.html
Photo by geograph.org.uk/UrbanSpaceman http://wrestlingtheangel.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/jane-goodalls-
reason-for-hope-why-evolution-is-a-beautiful-idea/
http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/4942
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?
http://i-likeitalot.com/2012/07/louis-vuitton-opens-maison-flagship-
imgurl=0cfb64c2b1fa5b0c&q=anthropologist
store-in-china/
+source:life&ei=wWwjSY34A5j2sAPyw4C7CA&sig2=KC7Ee-
http://www.perrier-jouet.com/en/exclusive-offers/by-for ujkFoFf-9SBmob7w&usg=__5v2VI7I7KgF0YnLaE3jiA9ZoP_g=&prev=/
images%3Fq%3Danthropologist%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Den
http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/finlayson-arm.html
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/
Photo by: flickr/wburris ( http://www.flickr.com/people/billburris/ )
151232main_image_feature_601_ys_4.jpg
http://schools.nashua.edu/myclass/knoetige/ArtHistory1/
http://www.fullhdwpp.com/gadgets/olympus-lenses
ch30/30-12.jpg
http://www.wildchimpanzees.org/media/photo_gallery_jpg/
Photo from http://samanthahighfill.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/gift-
goodall_40.jpg
giving-guide/
http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/06/06/photographic-preview-a-
http://www.canadianheritage.org/images/large/23257.jpg
visit-with-breanna-livie-the-golden-closet-behind-the-scenes-at-
http://blog.linedandunlined.com/post/404917364/form-giving eastern-costume/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Wawadit%27la


Thanks!
Annette Priest
annette@revelinsight.com
http://revelinsight.com


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