Autoethnography
“Autoethnography is an intriguing and promising qualitative method that offers a way of giving voice to personal experience for the purpose of extending sociological understanding.”
Wall, Sarah. “Easier Said than Done: Writing an Autoethnography.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 7, no. 1, 2008, pp. 38–53.
Definition
Autoethnography is a form of inquiry reflecting on one’s own personal experiences and their implications.
Type
User research
Context
Ethnography
A Bernie Sanders rally in Des Moines, Iowa (2016).
Procedure
Unlike most design methods, autoethnography is done alone. Similar to writing in a journal, this practice can help us learn something about ourselves and the world we live in. Here are my suggestions for writing autoethnography:
Think about an experience that interests you. Ask why does it interest you?
Identify a purpose. What do you want to understand more of? Outline the main pieces of the narrative that explores this main idea. Doing so will guide the reflection and story.
Begin to write! Remember that you are the audience. Aim to write a reflection that you yourself would find interesting if you were to come back to it in five years. Like design, writing is an iterative process that is always being refined. Constantly reflect on what you have written, and let your imagination run wild. This is a time to let loose, not hold your breath.
Use Case and Analysis
I went back a few years to an old paper I wrote about a time I felt a minority experience. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, this was a great use of autoethnography.
To summarize, in 2016 I went canvassing in Eldora, Iowa for Bernie Sander’s campaign. My friend and I were exposed to a different reality of white poverty as we went door to door hoping to spread awareness for the Iowa caucus. In my paper, I reflect on the new perspective I gained by realizing politics was not a priority to people who were living day-to-day trying to support their families.
Autoethnography helped me empathize with a different culture and better understand my place in the world.