I'm trying to keep things of the same sort as seen in
http://tamuchi-spring2011.blogspot.com/2010/01/ethnography-topic-examples.html
and also trying to keep it related to HCI by keeping it to areas that involve interaction with computers.
1. Observe how high the rate of basic "computer literacy" is. That is, how many people are capable (or think they are capable) of basic tasks like changing the ink in their printers or plugging in cabling correctly. This would tell us whether folks are using the full capabilities of their equipment or, like the people from the Design of Everyday Things*, have just figured out how to do a few things and have made no effort to understand the rest.
2. (Note: Heavily "borrowing" from Manoj's #5) Observe how often CS students ignore the "no food in the computer lab" rule. This would give information on how much respect they have for minor regulations for the reg's own sake, and how comfortable they are with the organization of the lab system.
3. (One unrelated to computers, just for variety) Observe how the teams in the intramural sports organize themselves internally. Would give us information on how college students self-organize their voluntary activities.
*who just pick two settings on a fancy washer and nothing else, etc.
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