Jan Chipchase: Design anthropology

Summary

The speaker from Frog, a design and innovation consultancy, discusses global research insights on technology's societal impact. They delve into cultural nuances, ethical dilemmas in commercial research, and the essence of design in resource-constrained environments. Highlighting examples like a simple gas station in Vietnam and dog-repelling car tires in China, the talk underscores the evolving role of technology in shaping social norms and individual identity, urging designers to consider the broader implications of their creations on society.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The speaker works for Frog, a global design and innovation consultancy with a wide reach and significant scale.
• 🔍 Frog focuses on conducting in-depth, context-driven research to understand the role of technology in society across various cultures and environments.
• 🏠 The research process involves spending time in people's homes to gain insights into their motivations and behaviors in their natural settings.
• 🌐 Frog's studies range from trivial everyday observations to significant societal impacts, such as the role of social media in the Middle East and banking services in Afghanistan.
• 👥 The consultancy operates with a team-based approach, often including local hires to ensure cultural understanding and community engagement.
• 📈 The logistical challenges of conducting global research are significant, requiring rapid team assembly and adaptation to new environments and languages.
• 💡 The speaker highlights the importance of understanding social rules and norms in different cultures, as they influence the adoption and use of technology.
• 📱 The script discusses the ethical and moral implications of technology, particularly how it can be used to surveil and collect data on individuals without their explicit consent.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The decision to use technology is increasingly tied to social participation, raising questions about privacy and the role of technology in society.
• 🔬 The mainstreaming of DNA testing is changing how individuals and organizations understand and interact with genetic information, with potential implications for family structures.
• 📘 The speaker concludes with a call for designers to consider the broader implications of their work, moving from designing for consumers to designing for constituents within a social context.

Q & A

What is the role of the speaker at frog, a design and innovation consultancy?

The speaker is the head of research at frog, where they help leading companies and organizations bring their ideas to life through design and innovation.

How does the speaker describe the scale of frog's operations?

Frog has approximately 1,600 employees spread across 15 studios and development centers worldwide.

What is the focus of the speaker's research over the last 15 years?

The speaker's research has focused on how technology, particularly robotics, plays a role in society, including studies on various societal aspects such as what people carry in their bags, the role of faith in transactions, and the use of social media in the Middle East.

What is a core principle of the research methodology used by the speaker and their team?

A core principle of their research methodology is to immerse themselves in the context of people's everyday activities, often spending weeks on the ground to understand and engage with local communities.

How does the speaker describe the logistical challenges of conducting global research?

The logistical challenges include getting a team on the ground in unfamiliar cultures, operating in languages that team members may not understand, and sometimes having as little as one week's notice to prepare.

What is the speaker's approach to dealing with moral and ethical issues in research?

The speaker acknowledges the moral and ethical issues, especially considering they have commercial clients. They address these issues through decompression sessions and debriefings to ensure the team's well-being and ethical integrity.

What is an example of how the speaker uses observations from resource-constrained environments to inform design?

The speaker uses the example of a street gasoline station in Vietnam, where a simple setup with a bottle on a brick and a siphon represents the essence of a gas station, teaching designers to focus on the core functionality of a product or service.

What is the significance of the speaker's observation about the use of technology in different cultures?

The observation highlights how the appropriate use of technology can vary greatly across cultures, influencing social norms and behaviors, and presenting opportunities for designers to innovate within these cultural contexts.

How does the speaker relate the decision to opt into or out of a product or service to societal participation?

The speaker suggests that the decision to use a product or service is increasingly becoming a choice about participating in society, as many products and services are becoming inherently connected and social.

What challenges does the speaker foresee with the increasing integration of technology into everyday life?

The speaker foresees challenges related to identity, privacy, and the social etiquette of technology use, as well as the need for designers to adapt their skills to consider the broader implications of their designs on society.

What is the concept of 'caveat emptor' and how does the speaker suggest it should evolve for the future?

Caveat emptor is the principle of 'let the buyer beware.' The speaker suggests that, in addition to being cautious, designers and consumers should enter into contracts with 'uberrimae fidei,' or utmost good faith, to ensure ethical and responsible use of technology.