Ethnography

At DJS Research, our ethnography experts combine skilled moderation with the latest tools and techniques to deliver authentic, actionable insights. We design studies that fit your objectives, carefully selecting the approach that best captures the moments that matter. Whether it’s in the home, in the workplace, or on the go, we help you understand your audience like never before.

What is ethnography?

Ethnography is a qualitative research method that immerses researchers in the everyday lives of participants. Whether it’s observing shopping habits in supermarkets, understanding how families use technology at home or exploring workplace dynamics. Ethnography provides a deep and authentic window into real behaviours, attitudes, and contexts.

Unlike other research methods that rely solely on what people say they do, ethnography allows us to see what they actually do. It helps bridge the gap between stated and actual behaviour, revealing insights that are often missed by surveys or interviews.

Ethnography is invaluable when you want to:

• Understand behaviours in context: Observing participants in their natural environment uncovers insights that might not surface in a focus group or interview setting.

• Capture the 'why' behind actions: Seeing what people do and asking them about it in the moment, gives you a richer understanding of motivations and decision-making.

• Identify unmet needs and pain points: Ethnography often reveals hidden opportunities to improve products, services or experiences by understanding the challenges people face in their real lives.

• Gain authentic, actionable insights: When you see behaviours unfold naturally, you get insights that are grounded in reality, helping you make better decisions.

At DJS Research, we offer a range of ethnographic approaches to suit your project’s needs:

• In-person ethnography: Traditional face-to-face ethnography involves researchers visiting participants at home, at work or in relevant locations to observe and interact. This approach provides a deep, immersive understanding of behaviours and contexts.

• Mobile ethnography: Participants capture their own experiences using mobile devices, sharing photos, videos or diary entries in real time. This flexible approach allows researchers to see moments that might otherwise be missed, especially for topics that are highly personal or hard to observe in person.

• Hybrid ethnography: Combining in-person observation with digital tools such as eye-tracking or mobile diaries brings the best of both worlds. Eye-tracking, for example, helps reveal where people focus their attention in real-world settings, while mobile diaries let us follow behaviours over time. Using these approaches with in-person interviewing allows us to probe and understand why people behaved the way they did.