posted by Adri

Ethnographic films (documentaries) are an emerging research method used to understand culture, consumer behavior, and social constructs that transcend mere data and can provide a rich understanding of a subject and its environment. Here’s an interview with the Chief Technology Officer of the UW College of Education, Scott Macklin discussing Documentaries as a research method and how it applies to his latest film: Masizakhe.

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Has anyone researched the effectiveness of research? Sounds funny, but is the true medicine for innovation looking at what has been or what is? Ok, I am not completely daft. I get that the more information we know the better we are prepared for societies projects, such as the boardroom of venture capitalists. However, at what point does knowledge become an hindrance rather than a catalyst for fresh ideas? Afterall, aren’t good ideas researched, great ideas talked about and brilliant ideas just done on the spur of the moment?

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I came across two handy applications for tracking the popularity of terms mentioned in the blogosphere and social networks. These may come in handy for your research:

Facebook Lexicon — “Facebook Lexicon counts occurrences of words and phrases on Walls over time.” It can also compare two or more words in the same chart. You need a Facebook account to use it. Full explanation and link at the Facebook Blog. There’s some keyword kinks they need to work out, but it’s definitely helpful for any Facebook-related research.

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There is no doubt that all we read and discuss in class is helping us understand how much we are changing the way we communicate as a society. But last year, as I was researching UGC (user generated content) I starting to observe that some physical goods manufacturers are adopting a form of user-generated content/social media. They allow consumers to create their own goods for them to purchase and also, they give them the option to sell them in a virtual marketplace. All these manufacturers do is provide the platform for this to happen.

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