Autoethnography

Ethnographic techniques are useful tools for developing a fine-grained, context-based understanding of user behavior. Because conventional ethnographic studies are time-intensive, interest has grown in techniques that can be applied more rapidly, to fit within the software development cycle---a sort of 'ethnography lite'. One such promising tool is the autoethnography, in which the investigator creates an ethnographic description and analysis of his/her own behavior, attempting to develop an objective understanding of the behaviors and work context under consideration by casting the investigator as both the informant 'insider' and the analyst 'outsider'. We demonstrate the potential of the autoethnography in HCI education through a case study of an HCI assignment in which autoethnography informs requirements analysis and system design. This paper argues that the autoethnography has a role to play in software development and is a useful teaching tool for HCI courses.