Mobile Ethnography Through the Years

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be on a reality TV program where your life’s chapters were randomly shown on national TV? Have you ever done a research in the University where you had to take a video of the entire process of your case studies? Well, if you do, then you’d already have an idea as to what Mobile Ethnography is.
For qualitative research, the three main questions that they want answered are, HOW they can supply services or products that will satisfy an upcoming need, WHY it shows a potential market in the future, WHO would they be catering to, and WHEN the public will be ready for it and information like that cannot be answered by just a number. Ethnography is a process in qualitative research that is used to answer those questions that now plays a big part in the business world.
In the past, there would be a group of people that are chosen based on certain criteria as a focus group. They would be placed in situations that would either be required to stay in a home or facility provided by the qualitative research company or they would ask permission to share your own home with them as they conduct their study. 
What do they do? The researchers observe the focus group closely from their daily habits, to the momentary quirks that may present an opportunity for them to formulate ideas for medical issues, services needed, products that need to be improved, invented and/or changed. 
For example, a family with a baby, an elderly couple living with a caregiver, a group of teenagers sharing an apartment while attending university, a housing space provided by an office, an orphanage or other types of environments that show various needs, routines and people with different desires and goals in life can present many ideas or issues that need to be addressed. 
Having someone follow you around with a camera or a recorder in your most private moments may not always be comfortable. Not everyone enjoys being watched. Mobile ethnography has changed that. How? Well, the respondents can take a video of themselves or of people who trust them. They won’t feel exposed nor would they feel that their privacy has been invaded because they are the ones in charge of this task. Feeling that sharing their lives with you is their decision relaxes them and makes their responses more natural.