Ethnographic Research and Social Media

Since innovation is not linear and it involves paradigm shifts, methodologies have to be utilized to achieve it.[1] Focus on consumer is the start of this process. To achieve a non-linear innovation an outside-of-the-box mindset and approach is necessary.  An ethnographic technique based on anthropologic principles is a powerful approach to understand consumer habits, preferences, behavior and needs.[2] As such, gathering consumer data and information is at the heart of this empathic research. 

A good example is using social media to conduct a focused observation. Social media can provide us with a global understanding of consumer habits and unvoiced-needs that can be further narrowed by region, gender, age, occupation, income, class, education, society and culture, etc.[3] Facebook’s 800 million active users contribute more than 3.5 billion pieces of content each week on Facebook.[4]  It had 152 million unique visitors in March – or more than 2 out of three Americans who were active online. [5]  Each user activity is gathered and recorded. This priceless information can be used innovatively to design new products that can meet the future needs of the consumer.

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[1] Gary Oster, Innovation in Action, School of Global Leadership & Innovation, Regent University, August 10, 2007

[2] Gary Oster, Innovation in Action, School of Global Leadership & Innovation, Regent University, August 10, 2007

[3] Arlette Jeet, Empathic Research Described, January 18, 2011, found online at http://arlettejeetcheckthisoutbusinesssavvy.blogspot.com/2011/01/empathic-research-described-by-arlette.html

[4] Katy Daniells, Infographics: Social Media Statistics for 2012, Digitalbuzz, Jan. 3, 2012, found online at http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/social-media-statistics-stats-2012-infographic/

[5] Connie Guglielmo, Facebook Facts, Stats and Trivia For Future Jeopardy Contestants, Forbes, May 17, 2012 found online at http://www.forbes.com/sites/connieguglielmo/2012/05/17/facebook-facts-stats-and-trivia-for-future-jeopardy-contestants/