Editor’s note: Mike Courtney is CEO of marketing research firm Aperio Insights LLC, Dallas.

During this year’s annual www.Gatesletter.com Bill and Melinda Gates were asked “What superpower do you wish you had?”

Bill chose “more energy.” Melinda chose “more time.” If I were asked that question, as a researcher I think I’d choose a photographic memory. 

Leveraging cameras as part of digital ethnography is a superpower of sorts. This article is about how to use technology as part of the ethnographic research process using digital ethnography.

The great news is that low-cost, mainstream consumer-grade gadgets can now be repurposed to give researchers superpowers to conduct quality research faster and with more context. In this article I will discuss the pros and cons of choosing DIY digital ethnography, as well as consumer-grade technology that is available for use in today’s market. In Part 2 I will provide tips for getting started and I will also take a look at the future of DIY digital ethnography.

The role of observational research

Ethnography/observational research is a great methodology for cataloging and understanding consumer behavior, especially behaviors that are so routine that the steps become nearly automatic and are done without much, if any, conscious thought.

Asking consumers to recall details of an event either pre- or post-task is not reliable, since much of what consumers do is routine, and recalling steps does not provide an accurate account of challenges or obstacles. The beauty of ethnographic research is that it lets us observe events as an outsider. This methodology has proven to be an invaluable source for fueling innovation, though there are many challenges.

Traditional ethnographic challenges

Don’t get in the way. In the past ethnography depended on humans observing and being an unobtrusive part of the background – a fly on the wall – but sometimes researchers feel like the elephant in the room. Imagine an ethnographer trying to observe an everyday event like someone’s daily daycare, school or work commute.

The ethnographer’s internal dilemma: I’m just going to sit here in the backseat, between your kid’s car seats and the dog, and simply observe. Pretend I’m not even here. By the way – does anyone bite back here?  

Or consider anther situation – observing someone doing a load of laundry. Observing in-person once can be useful; observing videos of them doing several dozen loads of laundry over the course of a week can be even more useful. Stronger patterns emerge and tiny quirks become glaring beacons begging to be explored.

Capture all of the pertinent details. Which elements of the environment may be influencing the task at hand? Did the consumer not measure the detergent because they were lazy or because the doorbell started ringing at just the wrong time? Do they always do it that way or was this one cycle of observation different in some way? 

Planned events aren’t ideal for capturing unplanned activities. It is far easier to watch condensed clips of actual activity spanning several days or weeks than becoming a constant visitor to a consumer’s home. Think for moment about the idea of planning a visit to observe an infrequent or random activity: O.K. Mr. Smith – we’ll see you on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon to observe you as part of the late-night binge-snacking habits study.

Turning to digital ethnography

Choosing to incorporate digital ethnography is one way to overcome many of the challenges ethnographic researchers face. Many mainstream electronics retailers sell the tools needed for conducting digital ethnography. The section isn’t called ethnography (yet) but it’s generally found where you can buy video security gear.

Video security systems of the past involved gear that required professional installers who needed to poke holes in walls and run wires. Today, the systems are focused on providing consumer-friendly devices that simply plug into power a power source and can be accessed through Wi-Fi.

Lifting limitations

In some cases, not all, researchers can set up video cameras to record and observe behavior on behalf of the ethnographer. Not needing an ethnographer to be present means you can increase the number of task cycles that are observed, as well as observe over a longer period of time.

As ethnographers we pride ourselves on our ability to detect subtle nuances and sense patterns. The time saved by not conducting all observation in-person allows the researcher to spend much more time on coding and interpretation. As such, researchers should consider the pros and cons of conducting digital ethnography:

 Pros

  • Digital ethnography allows you to observe more cycles/days/events with little incremental cost.
  • Time saved using equipment instead of human observation can be better spent on coding and interpretation.
  • Cameras are able to capture and record desired activities as they happen.

Cons

  • Not all observations are well suited to camera placement (lack of flat surfaces, wall chargers, etc.).
  • Camera angles can’t see everything. (How far did they turn the dial?)
  • Researchers cannot easily stop, interrupt or ask questions along the way. (This obstacle can somewhat be overcome when using live streaming capabilities.)

Crash course: Gear to consider

Once you’ve decided on conducting digital ethnography, it’s time to find the appropriate gear. While I sometimes use commercial gear for more complex projects, I will only be giving pointers on consumer-grade units. Cameras are rapidly evolving – each has pros and cons – and new units and features are proliferating quickly so periodically check your favorite store for new models and feature updates.

The following consumer-grade units have several common features:

• The current pricing sweet spot is around $200 per camera, plus a subscription for longer cloud video storage.

• All units have motion triggers that automatically prompt the device to capture video clips of activity.

    o You can also receive motion alerts and then use the live-streaming function to observe in real time.

    o The units will not automatically call for emergency assistance.

• Video clips are all time-stamped, include audio and can be downloaded to a PC for use in reports or summary reels. Video clips can be pulled from the cloud, edited and sorted, like any other video.

• Most cameras plug directly into a wall outlet and connect to Wi-Fi with little difficulty.

• Most devices have IOS and Android apps for changing settings, receiving alerts and viewing video.

• Setup is easiest in person but can be done remotely if you are more tech savvy.

Canary

Originally available only via its Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, Canary units are now widely available. The Canary is a nice looking cylinder (black, white or silver) that blends into its surroundings well and has 1080-pixel video with wide 147-degree camera angle. The night vision works well but unlike other units the Canary only has one-way audio. When using the app to view live video, be careful not to accidently hit the “Siren” button or you’ll definitely get the attention of everyone on the block. The device also records temperature and humidity. One thing I like about Canary is that it’s big enough to paste a copy of instructions right on the unit itself. Seven-day cloud video history and unlimited downloads is an extra $99 per year. (Unit price: $199; https://canary.is/)

Nest Cam

This device is formerly known as the popular DropCam but is now owned by Nest. It is a small unit with 1080-pixel video and one of the better timeline viewing apps. Its time-lapse feature can summarize hours of video into short films. The motion detection is very precise and the device offers decent two-way audio. It is only a 103-degree camera angle so shots aren’t as wide. The device has a good variety of mounting options including magnetic stand, tripod and wall outlet mounts. For an extra $100 a year, you can receive 10-day cloud video history. (Unit price: $199; https://store.nest.com/product/camera/)

Logitech Logi Circle Camera

Logitech Logi looks like a plastic tennis ball that swallowed a Nest cam and has a black or white form factor. It provides a 135-degree viewing angle and two-way audio and has a daily summaries feature for day-in-the-life reel creation. One of the nice features is the battery – the unit can be battery-powered for up to 12 motion-triggered hours or three hours of live-streaming. Logi has free 24-hour cloud storage. More (potentially paid) storage options are coming soon. (Unit price: $199; http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/circle)

Netgear Arlo and Arlo Q

The less expensive wireless Arlo requires a special base station (included) and only captures in 720-pixel for $179. Arlo Q captures in 1080-pixel and connects directly to Wi-Fi for $219. Wireless Arlo is designed for installations that require multiple cameras and can be purchased in bulk packs of five cameras for $649. Battery life is claimed to be four to six months of normal use but reviews dispute that claim. Both include night vision and seven days of free video cloud storage. Unlike Canary or Nest, paid plans for more storage are per system, not per camera. (Unit price: $179 to $219; http://arlo.com/en-us/products/kit/)

Butterfleye

One of this year’s most interesting Consumer Electronics Show finds. Startup company Butterfleye packs some nice features into its small white box: a unit that blends in and has the flexibility of not needing Wi-Fi to capture 1080-pixel video. This is the only unit in this lineup that has local storage for times Wi-Fi and the cloud aren’t available. Battery is over 10,000 mAh (three times the battery power of most smartphones) so if you lose power or Internet, you’ll still capture video for up to two weeks of normal use. Free 24-hour rolling cloud storage means you’ll have to diligently download videos each day or wait to pull them from the device storage. (Preorder price: $199; http://www.getbutterfleye.com/ )