Field Study Fundamentals Masterclass
OVERVIEW
Field research operates with a single goal: To better understand the world.
While ethnographic data, quantitative data, and analytics provide insights into what people do and how, only well run ethnographic research can reveal why people behave as they do. Understanding why is fundamental to have an impact on product, design, brand, strategy, policy and communications.
At Studio D, we believe a project and organisation is only as good as the data it ingests. Our approach to field research advances the craft in several ways: from how we build and interact with local teams, to structuring live/work spaces that are optimised for cross-cultural teams, to embracing the ethical issues at the front lines of data collection.
This Masterclass unpacks the main approaches and concepts covered in The Field Study Handbook.
UPCOMING MASTERCLASSES
We don't currently have a Field Study Fundamentals Masterclass scheduled—although we have run thirty-five sessions already.
For in-person or online organisational bookings, contact us.
To be notified when we run a future online session, drop your email here.
WHAT IT COVERS
We will systematically unpack the Studio D approach to running international field research projects, including:
- building an optimal team for the cultures you are researching,
- overcoming organisational barriers to the research and approach,
- setting up and running popup studios—team live/work spaces optimised for cross-cultural teams,
- finding the optimal balance between structured time (things that are planned) and unstructured time (things that naturally play out, based on team intent and the working culture),
- logistics and planning for international research, including risk assessment,
- enabling effective cross-cultural team dynamics,
- the evolution of understanding from hypothesis to impact,
- maintaining data integrity,
- managing clients and the organisation,
- the trade-offs with different recruiting strategies, and,
- team and client psychology.
OUTCOMES
Practical outcomes include how to:
- build buy-in from your organisation,
- proactively address risk management,
- plan and execute international field research projects spanning multiple countries,
- identify local fixers and guides to support the core research team,
- mitigate cultural and cognitive biases in the research,
- equitably and appropriately reward local participants and team members, and,
- a set of principles to frame new challenges you will inevitably face.
A digital certificate of course completion is available on request.
Studio D also provides consultancy services to help you set up and/or run international research projects.