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Based on your experience during the ethnography activity with your groups, each student MUST upload reflections on this Padlet.

RULES:

1) Each of you MUST upload an individual reflection to show that you are actively participating in this activity

2) Reflections MUST be added before you next session (10th October)

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Answer these questions in your reflections:

1) What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

2) What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

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What did i learn from this activity?

With my background being business id never taken on this form of research before and i found it very impactful. I found it interesting that it was more about a close observation of people, spaces and practices. It allowed me to use a range of sensory details like sound or movements, something quite different to the classic qualitative or quantitive research id used before. The mapping exercise also helped to assert the idea that your findings dont have to be showcased with text, but more visual methods that help to explain the ‘flow’ of your findings.

What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Some of the themes and questions i have revolve around the idea of performance and behaviour, as in how actions shift depending on who is watching or asking. Even on the other end of it, how the direction of your research could change had we asked a different person… Thats quite interesting.

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reflection

1. ﻿﻿﻿What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Our group was assigned the topic of culture. During the search around the school, I found many elements related to culture. Whether it's transportation, living habits, diet or even language, they are all different from those in my own country. In China, we drive on the right side of the road, but here it's the left. In China, we don't need to press the button when waiting for the traffic light, but here we do. In China, it's not allowed to graffiti in public places, but here it seems that you can see vibrant graffiti everywhere. These are the cultural differences I found during my exploration. Here, I want to emphasize the rebellious culture I felt in Glasgow, from the statues of reformers to the street protests against global injustice and the rebellious graffiti seen everywhere on the streets. All of these demonstrate the rebellious street culture of this city. These discoveries have given me a more concrete understanding of this city and ethnology.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

The biggest problem should be the topic of "culture" for our group. This topic is too broad. I think any type can be regarded as the concept of "culture". It's very difficult for us to choose a specific point to focus on within culture and not overlap with the topics of other groups before us. Eventually, we chose the rebellious culture that we saw, which I think is very unconventional.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

During this ethnographic research activity focused on retail, I learned how to discover the deeper user needs and cultural significance behind surface phenomena through observation, questioning and recording. For instance, the spatial layout, sales methods and service atmosphere of different retail stores all affect the customer experience. We visited the Glasgow Art Gallery, Smile Coffee Shop, WEX Digital Product Store and Gift Shop. During our visits to different retail spaces, I found that the spatial layout of the art gallery was mainly open and simple. During our communication with the staff, I learned that the gallery has both physical retail and online sales channels, and the customers are mainly high-end consumers. The sales approach relies more on the transmission of emotional and cultural values, such as through exhibition explanations, work descriptions and creating an artistic atmosphere to evoke resonance in customers. The coffee shop's layout pays more attention to comfort and social interaction. The aroma of coffee and bread in the coffee shop makes the space warmer and more comfortable. The digital product store displays different products in separate sections and provides a trial experience area. The overall atmosphere seems more rigorous. Finally, we presented the research results in the form of streets and shops using mind maps, which made me realize that information organization and creative expression are also part of ethnography research.

2.What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Regarding the theme of retail, we have broken it down into several different types of stores, such as art galleries, coffee shops, supermarkets, and gift shops. We have divided into two groups and conducted research in two different directions with the focus on art and design. During the research process, the question that occurred to me is that in the context where physical retail and online shopping coexist, it is very important for retail spaces to create unique experiences to attract customers.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnographic activity?

This ethnography project about Tourism in Glasgow helped me see the city in a new way. Instead of using data or theory, I tried to observe how people behave, how spaces are designed, and how they interact with the city. By walking around, taking photos, and talking with my group, I realised that tourism is not just about visiting places — it is about feeling the culture, emotions, and daily life of the city. Glasgow has a long industrial history, known for shipbuilding and engineering. Today, it has changed into a creative and cultural city full of art, music, and design. I like how the old and new mix together. When we made the visual collage map, I learned that research can also be creative. Design doesn’t have to look perfect — what matters is telling the story clearly and showing emotion. By using maps, drawings, and photos, we shared our understanding of Glasgow.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

The slogan “People Make Glasgow” impressed me the most. It’s short but strong. It shows that people give life and meaning to the city. The city is not only made of buildings, but of the people who live and create here. I come from an ethnic minority area in my home country. My hometown also has special food, clothes, and culture, but it faces challenges in keeping its traditions while developing. Seeing how Glasgow, an old industrial city, found new life through culture and design really inspired me. I hope to use what I learn at GSA to help my hometown connect culture, design, and management. I want it to find new energy and keep its traditions alive — just like Glasgow did.

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1) What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

During this activity, we visited many places around the Glasgow School of Art , such as parks, churches, and public transportation stops. We learned about the specific facilities of these places and the benefits they bring to people. This experience made me realize the importance of the environment to humans, as well as that the surrounding public facilities are all vital components of the environment.

2) What questions and themes have

emerged from the ethnography process?

At first, our group could not clearly define a direction. Moreover, "environment" is a very broad term, leaving us unsure where to start. Later, we decided to take the facilities around the GSA as a starting point to understand what conveniences these surrounding facilities provide for nearby residents. We also incorporated the element of seasons to commemorate the beautiful autumn in Glasgow.

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I think I have gained a lot from this project. First of all, during the group discussion, we determined the division of labor within the group and then the overall presentation logic of the poster. Because I wanted to present a hand-drawn feel to make the poster more diverse, I was responsible for finding different types of restaurants and drawing their environments and signature dishes. In the subsequent logical discussion, we classified the food into two types: fast food and restaurant food, and observed and briefly interviewed the consumers in the stores. This way, we could better understand the target customer groups of different foods and what makes them attractive, whether it's speed or unique flavors. The time for research and making the poster was very tight, but we did our best! In the final presentation, seeing the posters made by different groups, I found it very interesting. Everyone's starting point was different. Among them, I liked the two groups that discussed the environment and transportation the most. The environment group had a unique perspective, while the transportation group focused on the moods of different people taking different means of transportation. The pictures were simple yet attractive. Everyone did a great job. Looking forward to the next project!

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

The most helpful part of this activity was that I learned how to observe people in a more careful way.

Before this, I thought research was just about collecting answers from questionnaires. But then I realized it’s more important to look at why people make certain choices.

For example, we talked to several new students who just came to Glasgow. They all preferred walking, but for very different reasons. Some didn’t know how to buy subway tickets, and some said the buses had a bad smell.

So through this experience, I understood that research shouldn’t only focus on data or results, but also on the background and the reasons behind people’s behaviour.

2.what questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

We focused on different themes related to transportation.

One theme was the way people choose different types of transport and their attitudes towards them.

Another theme was the difference between groups. For example, how elderly people and students make different choices for different reasons.

One challenge we met was that not everyone was willing to be interviewed, which made it harder to understand their real reasons.

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1.  This ethnographical research exercise taught me how to understand design and innovation in a larger context. As I focused on the more general aspects of food, it was really interesting to observe people and understand the choices they made around lunchtime. What came out of the research was that in central Glasgow for most people, lunch represents a time to grab something quick and affordable to eat, rather than an opportunity to connect with colleagues. The exercise also deepend my ability to quickly communicate my ideas visually, as well as integrate the work produced by each group member into a cohesive whole.

2.  The main themes that emerged were people's behaviour and the reasoning behind their daily decisions. If developed further, this research could help to understand how people might respond if a new venue were to open in the area, or if specific aspects (such as pricing or visual identity) of an existing hospitality space were to change. One topic that emerged was how large chains have an advantege on high streets such as Sauchiehall Street due to speed, efficiency and their ability to maintain low prices. This could be studied furter to understand how small businesses might better compete with larger ones. This kind of ethnographical study could be replicated in other parts of Glasgow, UK or internationally, allowing to compare results.

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What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

I realise there are many ways of doing and researching in the ethnography field. With this exercise, I had a regression to my undergraduate activities when we used to make portraits or drawings of people eating to understand the whole culture around food. In this case, my team’s topic was retail. At first glance, I thought it would be easy to just enter any store and have a look around at how they configure the products and services they offer. However, once we were out researching, I had many interesting insights about the type of retail we found. First of all, we started our search at Bath St. a street full of art galleries. Every art gallery had a unique way of curatorship for the art presented. Second, some managers who were open to talk about the gallery and the customers around them, but there were others who didn’t want to establish a conversation.
That was the moment when it clicked, ethnography is more complex than just getting out, observing, and asking questions. You need to: have prepared a round of questions to ask; observe the customers and workers' behaviour… for a while; understand the surroundings and locations; and more, depending on the main goal of the research.

What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

I want to learn more about how I can be an active observer without interfering in the process or activities of a community. Also, to know when it is important to be an active observer and when to be a “fly on the wall”.  It would be nice to understand how to create a good short questionnaire to collect many people's insights. And the thing I struggle with the most, that I really look forward to, is to understand how I can illustrate the insights of a deep interview with a main character of the research without using simple maps.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Through this ethnographic activity, I learned how food spaces in Glasgow communicate cultural meanings through their interior design and decoration. The Fish & Chips restaurant used marine elements such as fish murals, anchors, and starfish to evoke the image of the British seaside and express a sense of national tradition. In contrast, Costa Coffee displayed Halloween-themed cookies and cakes with ghost and skeleton motifs, showing how a global coffee chain adapts to local festivals and seasonal culture. The Chinese restaurant I visited presented a different atmosphere, with cute wall drawings, a classical poem explaining the origin of Diguo Chicken, and a pot of lucky bamboo in the corner, all of which created a homely and culturally rich environment.

These observations helped me understand that food is not only about taste but also a medium for expressing identity, memory, and cultural belonging.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

From this ethnographic process, several themes emerged. One key theme is cultural representation — how different restaurants express their cultural identity through visual design. Another theme is globalization and localization: while Costa Coffee represents a global brand adjusting its image to local traditions, the Chinese restaurant reflects the preservation of cultural roots within a foreign context. I also began to think about authenticity — how visual design shapes customers’ perceptions of cultural experience and how people connect emotionally with food

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Q1：What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Ethnography activity is a completely new course experience for me, which has taught me that doing innovative design is not just about pursuing technical excellence, but also about paying attention to people's needs and experiences in future designs. In addition, our course theme is "Tourism". Prior to outdoor visits, we discussed the visit location and determined the visit location based on the thoughts of the tourists. During the exploration process, we continued to observe passersby and tourists while heading to the destination, reflecting on their behavior and exploring how they wanted to enjoy their journey in Glasgow. The most interesting thing is that the understanding of "Tourism" varies in different positions. As a student who has just arrived in Glasgow to study, I may view it from the perspective of a tourist. The introduction of museum staff and the visit to the police have allowed me to understand more diverse and different perspectives of "Tourism".

Q2: What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

As an observer of pedestrians and buildings, this is a unique experience for me. I used to immerse myself in the research and seldom observed the surrounding environment. This is a positive change and a new challenge for me. Changing perspectives will better fit the user's ideas rather than immersing myself in my own design. I think both this group collaboration and observation of the environment have had a positive impact on me.

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1.What I Learned from the Design Ethnography Activity

Our group's theme was Built Environment. In the park section, I visited the site and personally operated the interactive device in the artificial water feature.

Through this activity, I realised that designers should not rely solely on imagination when creating products. Instead, design should be based on an understanding of user behaviour in real contexts.

I often fall into a common trap of thinking, "If I were the user, what would I do?"

However, design ethnography made me realise the importance of observation. By carefully recording the real interactions between people, products and the environment, designers can uncover hidden problems and needs that can direct future design decisions.

For example, in my observation, I found that a large number of fallen leaves had accumulated in the park's artificial water channel due to wind and nearby trees, causing the water flow to slow down. In addition, the lack of protective barriers around the feature and the slippery stone surface posed potential safety risks. These details reminded me that, as a designer, I should not only focus on the product's function and details, but also consider its dynamic relationship with both the environment and the users.

However, in my sketch I did not clearly record the result of this operation. I only described the function and the structural components of this device.

In addition, my drawing lacked specific contextual elements and physical evidence. For example, I could have illustrated a person pulling the T-shaped handle, or attached on-site photos, notes, time and location details.

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2.Questions and Themes emerging from the Ethnography process

During my observation, the water installation was not functioning. I thought it created a different kind of sensory and emotional experience, such as silence, stillness, and traces of nature (leaves, feathers). This situation made me want to explore how people experience designed spaces when they are no longer in use.

Actually, I interacted with the device based on my own curiosity. Even though I was not sure of its original function (for public interaction or for maintenance), the T-shaped handle visually invited interaction. This gesture made me realise how form and material can stimulate people's sensory curiosity and emotional engagement.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

The theme of our group is office. We chose to use the heat map, which shows the density of people who are scattered throughout the day with the shared office space as the center. Among them, woolen thread is used to set people's general walking route for a day. We try to express the connection and energy flow between work and living space. Through this activity, I found that a shared office space is not only a place for daily work, but also can be regarded as the center of the 'spider web' of people's lives. Through people's daily movement routes, such as working in an office building, having lunch in a coffee shop, eating in a nearby restaurant, and commuting at a nearby bus stop. The workspace has become the center of a social network for people. This shared office space is located near the downtown business district. Therefore, the most dense crowd must be the nearby circle of shops, and the density decreases in turn. At the same time, a suitable office location provides workers with a pleasant commuting atmosphere, and can also provide a sense of community that people need as group animals.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

During and after the practice, I also thought of some relevant problems. First, what are the advantages and disadvantages of these different flows on the shared office space? For example, as mentioned in the previous answer, it can bring a good mood and improve the sense of work identity. Next, will these mid-office movements blur the boundaries between work and life? Like going to the coffee shop to buy a cup of coffee to work every day, will this fixed behavior become an extra part of work?

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?
Our group visit to the streets near our school in Glasgow. I learned that the culture in this city embodies a strong spirit of resistance and radical expression. The street scenes, such as graffiti art, street performances, and stickers covering public spaces, reflect how people express their voices and identities in everyday urban life. Observing these cultural symbols helped me understand how public spaces can become platforms for social and political expression.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?
From this ethnographic experience, several themes emerged, including rebellion, identity, and collective expression. It raised questions about how urban art and public performances shape local culture and community identity, and how these creative forms of resistance influence people’s perceptions of Glasgow as a city with deep historical and political layers.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

This food-themed field research project taught me how to observe and analyse everyday life from both a design and cultural perspective. It also helped me understand how research methods can be used to support creative thinking. By visiting different types of restaurants across Glasgow, I began to look beyond surface details such as interior decoration and menu design, and started to think about how these elements shape people’s dining experiences and choices.

One of my group members recorded the movement patterns of customers after they entered the store, which I found particularly inspiring. It made me realise the strong connection between spatial layout and customer behaviour, and how design can subtly influence people’s actions.

This project also deepened my understanding of teamwork. We had to collaborate efficiently, divide tasks, and bring together different perspectives within a limited time. Through this process, I improved my ability to organise information and express ideas visually. I also learned how to integrate the group’s findings into one cohesive and well-structured outcome.

2. What questions and themes emerged from the ethnography process?

During our research, we found that people’s dining choices are closely related to their lifestyle and pace of life. One clear theme was time and convenience — in central Glasgow, many people prefer quick, affordable meals rather than long social lunches. Another theme was space and atmosphere, as some restaurants use distinctive decoration, lighting, and music to create a specific mood that attracts different types of customers.

We also faced some challenges during the process. Since we were not allowed to photograph or record people, we had to rely only on direct observation and written notes, which required more careful attention to detail. At the beginning, our group members had slightly different focuses, but through clear communication and collaboration, we quickly aligned our direction and worked efficiently. This experience helped me understand the importance of teamwork and adaptability in real research situations.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

The most interesting aspect of this activity was that I began to view the city from a completely new perspective. Our group's topic was "Tourism." In the past, when I walked through these streets, I considered myself a "tourist." However, this activity prompted me to change my perspective and consider how I could use a mind map to guide others in navigating this beautiful city. This change in identity taught me to observe things more carefully, such as architectural details and the people I met along the way. For example, I noticed that the bridge over the river that runs through Glasgow is very distinctive. I hadn't paid much attention to it before, but this time I realised that the bridge is very Scottish, so I drew it as part of my mindmap.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Whenever we visited a location, we struggled to decide how to capture its unique character within the limited space on our mindmap. We eventually decided to talk to locals to understand what they found most special. For example, at an art gallery, we asked staff about its most iconic piece (a beautiful vase symbolising sexual freedom) and drew a picture of it to represent the artwork of Glasgow's tourism industry.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

During the process, I found it really interesting to see how different transport choices seemed to affect people’s emotions and behaviour. When I was observing or talking to them, I noticed that people who walked usually looked more relaxed and friendly, while those using cars or taking buses often seemed more stressed and impatient. It made me realise that transport is not only about getting from one place to another — it also shapes how people feel and how they treat others around them.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

One main theme that came out for me is how travel and emotions are connected. It made me wonder how and why our daily transport routines might influence our mood, patience, or even how we communicate. I also started thinking about control and freedom — like how some people feel independent when they can walk or bike anywhere, while others feel stuck when they have to rely on public transport like bus. Overall, this project helped me see how something as ordinary as transport can reveal a lot about people’s emotions and social lives.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Studying ethnography has reminded me of what I learned during my Bachelor's degree in Architecture. The main goal of design is to provide solutions for human needs by studying their culture.

My group was assigned to observe retails. We found that the store's location, product placement, offerings like discounts, the variety of products offered, and, of course, the service influence visitors who make a purchase at the store. Technology serves as a facility that makes things easier for both employees and buyers, and this is a clear example of how ethnographic works as a solution.

Although the observation should probably conducted for a longer period to get more results, we realized that ethnography is the foundation for the initial design step, just as stated in the Design Thinking theory. We should empathize first to truly understand the market's needs before developing ideas from that problem.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from ethnography process?

After doing this activity, I started to wonder even more about the future influence of technology on human behavior and needs. Retail is one area that has already been greatly helped by technology. In fact, one supermarket might only need two or three cashiers because people can now use self-service machines.

The activity of applying ethnography was quite interesting and enjoyable for me. However, I personally still find it difficult to translate the information and ideas I capture into a good visual format.

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1) What did you learn from this ethnography activity?
From this activity, I learned how people make different lunchtime choices. I noticed that their decisions are not only about price or speed, but also about comfort, habit, and company, and other factors. I realized that observing people in their real environment helps us understand their true needs better and gives useful ideas for design.

2) What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?
Some main themes were convenience versus quality and the social meaning of eating. This made me think about how design could influence people’s choices and make their lunchtime easier or more enjoyable, such as creating spaces that encourage people to relax or eat together.

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1. What did I learn from this activity?

From this ethnography activity, I learned two main things, one about myself and one about the intersection of disciplines.

Firstly, as a student with a management background, I became acutely aware of my own limitations and areas for growth when stepping into a art school context. I learned that my natural inclination in a group setting with creative tasks is to observe and process information, rather than to lead the conversation or the visual ideation. I found myself speaking less during our fieldwork and taking on a more supportive, textual role—contributing to the written content and research for our presentation, while others took the lead on creating the mind map. This has made me realize that I need to be more proactive and build confidence in actively participating in the visual and design-oriented aspects of collaborative work in the future.

Secondly, I learned how ethnography itself can serve as a bridge between business and design. My management training equipped me with the skills to systematically observe, gather, and analyze the information we encountered—structuring our findings into a coherent narrative. The design perspective, on the other hand, was crucial for figuring out how to present these findings in an engaging and thoughtful way. This activity demonstrated to me how these two skill sets can complement each other powerfully.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

The ethnography process brought several key themes and questions to the forefront.

The most dominant theme was the sheer pervasiveness of heritage in Glasgow. We discovered that heritage isn't confined to major museums or monuments. From churches established by Irish immigrants to centuries-old local pubs, history is embedded in the very fabric of the city. It sparked the realization that Glasgow is a city built upon a vast foundation of heritage, where every brick and street has a story and has undergone a unique process of transformation over time.

This led to a central question: How does a city so deeply defined by its past continuously negotiate its present and future identity? Seeing how figures like Charles Rennie Mackintosh left such a lasting legacy made us wonder about the nature of cultural preservation and evolution.

Furthermore, the process of ethnography itself emerged as a theme. It highlighted how this research method, rooted in social sciences, is inherently interdisciplinary. It requires the analytical lens of fields like business to decode the cultural context, and the communicative power of design to effectively share those insights.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Through this ethnography activity, I learned how transportation connects with people’s everyday lives in both practical and emotional ways. When observing and discussing different transport modes—such as walking, subway, Uber, car, bus, and bicycle—I realized that each choice reflects people’s habits, priorities, and even values. For example, walking or cycling often shows concern for health or the environment, while using a car may symbolize independence or convenience. This activity helped me understand that good design should start from real-life experiences and users’ needs, not just from technical or visual aspects.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Some key questions and themes emerged during this process:

How can transportation design balance sustainability and convenience?

How can cities make transport systems more inclusive and accessible for everyone?

What emotions do people associate with different ways of travel—stress, freedom, or relaxation?
These questions made me think about how design can improve people’s travel experiences and make daily mobility more meaningful and enjoyable.

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Last Friday, my team and I participated in an ethnography activity. This experience afforded me the opportunity to gain deep insights into local culture through field observations and interviews, while simultaneously honing my skills in teamwork, communication, and time management.

During this activity, our group visited multiple locations for interviews and cultural exploration, including churches, community associations, and the Station Bar. We conducted interviews and engaged in discussions with staff members and local residents. At the church, we gained insight into the role of religion within community life, while at the Station Bar, we experienced a more contemporary and relaxed social atmosphere.

Additionally, I practised improving communication and collaboration with my teammates, endeavouring to proactively suggest new avenues for exploration and contribute to the group's efforts wherever possible. I came to appreciate the importance of the 'observation' and 'understanding' emphasised by the ethnographic approach. This methodology encouraged me to engage with diverse cultural phenomena with an open mind, free from preconceived judgements, thereby gaining a more authentic and comprehensive cultural understanding.

The activity was meaningful overall, though I encountered several issues. The most prominent was poor time management. We spent excessive time on external interviews, leaving us with very little time to create the mind map upon returning to the classroom. Consequently, the final mind map appeared rushed and incomplete, with some content still lacking proper organisation and presentation. Another issue was the lack of clarity in presenting our findings. Although we gathered substantial valuable information, the organisation of content during mind map creation was insufficiently structured. This resulted in a somewhat chaotic presentation, diminishing the effectiveness of information delivery. Consequently, I recognise that in future similar projects, advance planning of time allocation and task distribution is paramount. Furthermore, enhancing our abilities in structuring information and conveying ideas is essential.

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1.What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

This activity deepened my understanding and perception of the concept of ethnography. It's not only about observing tangible things physically, but also about understanding it through interviews with people and the five senses, such as hearing and smell. Through in-depth research on ethnography, we can uncover tacit knowledge and understand the people in the culture, which is essential for creating better designs. During the visit near GSA, I learned about the ethnography of Glasgow. I also learned how to make a mind map, which can include not only words but also drawings, collages, and how to integrate materials together. This is a very interesting and creative process, and the result is very intuitive and beautiful. In this process, teamwork is also crucial. To complete such a task in a short time with classmates who are not yet very familiar, we must communicate fully and coordinate with each other. Everyone is responsible for the part they are good at based on their background. For example, since I previously studied environmental design, I was responsible for drawing buildings and cutting some materials.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Our group's theme is culture. At first, we thought this theme was quite simple because culture encompasses many things, such as the food, transportation, and heritage, all of which can be considered culture. However, if we followed this line of thinking, the theme would be too broad and superficial, lacking in-depth research. Therefore, finding a specific research direction became a problem that stumped us. So we distilled the commonalities of the culture we found and decided to start with the ubiquitous slogan "People Make Glasgow" and street graffiti. This slogan originated from the city's brand repositioning to welcome a new era, and Glasgow's greatest asset is its people. Street graffiti further highlights the spirit of resistance and rebellion, contrasting with the classical architectural style. In addition, there are dialects, street performances, and so on, which convey people's voices and identities.

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Ethnography Activity Reflection: Heritage

1. Key Learnings from the Activity:

First, multi-dimensional focusing and structuring are critical for heritage ethnography. We locked core elements (architectural landmarks like Mackintosh Complex, key populations, heritage symbols) and expanded via time (tracing site history) and location (dividing into four zones by streets), turning scattered info into a clear system.

Second, visualization with collaging works well for heritage presentation. Using a block map as the base to overlay glassmaking craftsmanship, tea culture, and heritage distribution made the historical context intuitive and layered.

Most importantly, cross-background collaboration enriches research. With members from service design, management, and fine arts (plus cross-ethnic backgrounds), we solved initial language/professional gaps by leveraging each strength—e.g., fine arts guiding collaging, business sorting data—to make outcomes more comprehensive.

2. Emerging Themes & Questions

Core Themes

1. Space as a living heritage carrier: Landmarks like Glasgow School of Art aren’t just static relics, but reflect design evolution and community memory (e.g., the church as a heritage activity hub).

2. Explicit-implicit heritage interweaving: Beyond visible symbols (architectural styles), implicit elements (glassmaking, tea culture) are the "soft core" supporting heritage continuation.

3. Zoned heritage inheritance: Streets divide the area into zones with distinct focuses (e.g., eastern architectural heritage, western craft heritage).

Key Questions

1. How to deepen implicit heritage excavation? We lacked in-depth interviews, leading to superficial understanding of glassmaking/tea culture origins.

2. How to avoid cross-language info bias? Misunderstandings (e.g., "heritage mapping" vs. "commercial mapping") highlighted the need for better tools like visual glossaries.

3. How to balance art and accuracy in visualization? Decorative collaging elements sometimes blurred authentic heritage symbols.

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1) What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Through this ethnographic activity, I learned how design ethnography enables us to understand culture from within lived experiences, rather than relying on abstract descriptions. Drawing on methods outlined in the Introduction to Ethnography (2025–26) lecture — such as participant observation, contextual inquiry, sketching, and photography — our group explored the Glasgow Central Station area to study how “People make Glasgow”, as the city’s slogan suggests. This hands-on process revealed that ethnography in design is not only about observing people but also about interpreting behaviours, environments, and interactions to uncover deeper meanings and emotional undercurrents.

Personally, this exercise shifted my understanding of “culture” from a broad concept to something tangible, expressed through symbols, street performances, graffiti, and everyday encounters. By documenting these phenomena, our group realised that culture can manifest as resistance and radicalism — a reflection of Glasgow’s working-class history and activist spirit. We also discovered that ethnography can uncover tacit and latent knowledge (Gibbons, 2019), such as people’s emotional responses to public space, which cannot be captured through surveys or statistics alone.

Moreover, collaborating with classmates fostered a friendly yet competitive atmosphere that encouraged us to observe more critically and learn from one another’s approaches, which brought the class closer together even in just the second week.

2) What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

From our observations, the key emerging theme is “resistance and radicalism as cultural identity.” This was expressed visually and emotionally through graffiti, protest stickers, and contrasting urban aesthetics — the dark tones of historical architecture juxtaposed with the vivid colours of contemporary shops and performances. These visual contrasts communicate Glasgow’s ongoing negotiation between tradition and rebellion, authority and self-expression.

The ethnographic process also raised broader questions:

How can public installations or participatory designs reflect and engage with this radical cultural identity?

In what ways can urban design and user experience celebrate this sense of resistance without commodifying it?

How might designers create inclusive, context-sensitive experiences that allow local voices to be heard in the shaping of public space?

The mind maps produced during the activity made these questions visible, linking cultural observation to future design opportunities. For example, the findings could inform interactive public installations that invite users to express opinions or reflect on social issues — connecting ethnographic insight with participatory urban design.

Overall, this experience deepened my appreciation for design ethnography as a tool to bridge human behaviour, emotion, and spatial experience, guiding designers toward more empathetic and contextually grounded interventions.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Our group chose “offices” as the topic for our research. We visited Clockwise 77, a shared office near the city centre. We walked around the area and created a handmade map using coloured paper, string, and post-it notes.

The coloured layers showed how busy or quiet each area was, and the string showed our walking routes. We used post-it notes to mark nearby shops and services — like supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, and bus stops.

This activity helped me realize that an office is not just a place to work. It’s part of a daily routine, connected with other spaces where people eat, rest, and move through. Making the map helped me understand the area better in a visual and creative way.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process？

I started to think about how movement between spaces shapes people’s workday — for example, going out for coffee or walking during lunch. Does this help people stay focused, or does it become a distraction?

What makes a co-working office feel welcoming? Is it the atmosphere, the people, the light, or something else?

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1）What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Our group was assigned the theme of “Culture.” This simple ethnographic observation around Glasgow city center was very interesting. At first, when we were discussing in the classroom, we thought that the term “Culture” was too broad and wondered how to approach it better. In the end, we decided, why not just head out and see what we could find? So we started roaming and recording along the way. We couldn’t help but notice the graffiti, murals, and sticker tags that filled the city streets. The Duke of Wellington statue still has a traffic cone on its head. Street performers were playing beautiful music, and we even passed by a rally in progress. All these scenes of street culture came together to form our living impression of Glasgow.

On one hand, the radical spirit of Glasgow is not destructive. Rather, these informal and decentralized actions form a humorous kind of non-violent resistance to authority. The citizens’ active participation in public expression also shows their concern for and engagement with social issues.

Interestingly, on the other hand, during my time studying and living here, I have found that people in Glasgow are actually very warm and friendly. Perhaps just like the hearty Scottish accent and the city’s slogan "People Make Glasgow", I think the uniqueness of this place, the strong sense of identity and the connection that affirms the power of people and communities all together create what I call a kind of radical warmth. So after we coming back, we decided to share our findings with the theme “Resistance and Radicalism”. This experience helped me understand the city and its culture better, it’s a vibrant space that constantly moves between criticism and affirmation.

2) What question and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

First of all, I’d like to thank my group members, our communication and teamwork have been really enjoyable! We felt that the theme of “Culture” was too broad at first. Initially, we tried to expand our thinking around the five human senses, but in the end we chose the street culture we feel as a more specific perspective to express. And our activity this time is actually only conducted as an outside observer. If we want to truly understand and explore the intention and meaning behind the observation, we need more participatory means.

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1)What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

The most valuable lesson I took from this ethnography activity is that effective research goes beyond just finding solutions; it involves a deep understanding of why people make the choices they do. A key learning was recognising the power of direct observation in understanding the true needs and behaviours of consumers. We saw that people's emotions and current psychological state play a huge role in their decision-making.

For example, when surveying people about transportation, some felt positive and energetic, and were happy to choose walking despite other options. In contrast, those who were tired or feeling stressed often defaulted to the easiest solution, like taking a bus, to minimize effort. This highlights that a user's mental and physical state in the moment can be a stronger determinant of behaviour than convenience or cost.

2) What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

We consistently observed a noticeable difference in pacing and behaviour. People using their private transport (cars, vans, bicycles) often appeared to be hurried and stressed. Conversely, those relying on public transport seemed more relaxed and skilled at managing their time around fixed schedules.

This theme reinforced our initial finding that travel choices aren't purely rational. By including a mapping of peoples' emotions while travelling in our survey data, we identified patterns where stress, tiredness, or even excitement were key variables, suggesting that designs must address not just the journey, but the mood of the traveller.

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1) What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

This project helped me understand how to apply ethnographic theory in practice. I was a bit confused at first since it was a very new concept for me, but as I worked on it, I began to see how ethnography connects to design innovation.

By conducting interviews and observations, I learned how useful ethnography is for exploring deeper insights into people, culture, or any topics we aim to understand. It opened my mind to new ways of researching and understanding context. By mapping things out, it helped me see the bigger picture and generate ideas for potential solutions.

Through this process, I also discovered that ethnographic methods can help brainstorming and inspire more meaningful design ideas. This approach showed me how observation and mapping can reveal deeper insights and lead to more thoughtful outcomes.

2) What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

My team focused on transportation and during the process, I learned to ask deeper questions leaning more about users’ experiences: Are the current facilities sufficient? Is travel convenient? What works well, and what could be improved? I also discovered that certain groups of people such as people with disabilities, families with strollers, or pet owners, tend to use buses because subway facilities didn't support them.

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What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

A: The said activity required us to work in groups of 5-6 and brainstorm how we as a team wanted to explore the topic of Transport around the GSA building area. The group ended up interviewing 10 people we met on the streets of Glasgow. Our findings lead us to discover different emotions, motivations and challenges people face with the modes of transportation available in the city. Some aspects of their interactions were very noticeable for us to interpret their relationship with the transport they prefer. For instance people with dogs and infants prefer buses or walking over subway because of the limitations. Young adults prefer the subway because of its economic and time efficiency and people who walk are more likely to spare a few minutes to talk to you etc. This activity also pushed me to reflect on preconceptions I had and the cultural differences I found while doing the activity (women in some countries don't prefer public transport for safety reasons while in some countries taking public transport is not a norm as reflection on their financial status.) We often tend to overlook routine activities because they are very mundane in nature but these mundane activities are a mere reflection of how we function as a society.

Working is a group of 5-6 people also gave us the freedom to collaborate and constantly make suggestions to get better insights from our subjects. It was also a great reminder of the importance of a discourse when you have people from different ethnic groups and data points.

Overall this activity was a great reminder of going back to basics and "going outside and touching grass" to have a reset point every time you start with or get stuck on a design research process.

What questions and themes have merged from the ethnography process?

A: Given the limited time and windy weather we had to keep the interviews short and also keep in mind that each member of the group had equal opportunity to participate in the activity.

We wanted to explore how people from a certain demographic group or background (student, family, local and international residents etc) interact with their preference of transport and what their motivations are behind that choice. We also wanted to understand if and how parameters like inclusivity (people on wheelchair or with pets and infants), affordability and navigation barriers affect an individual's choice. We had the opportunity to interview 10 different people mostly from a very different subject category but we couldn't gather much data that could give us more information on how their culture and profession plays a role in their habits. I still look forward to meeting someone who travels on a ferry on a regular basis or rides a bike and get more insights from them.

As a designer mapping a user journey still gives me great insights on how people around the GSA building interact with transport on a daily basis.

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From this ethnography activity, I learned how to observe and analyze real-life retail environments in a more detailed and systematic way. It helped me understand how different types of shops, such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and gift shops, attract customers through their product displays, pricing strategies, and atmosphere. I also improved my skills in teamwork, communication, and field observation.

During the process, we faced some challenges, such as collecting consistent data from different stores and organizing our findings clearly. These experiences taught me the importance of planning and collaboration in research.

From this activity, several themes and questions emerged. For example, I noticed the differences between local and chain stores, how they position themselves in the market, and how customer experience influences purchasing behavior. This made me think more about how retail spaces reflect both economic strategies and social interactions in everyday life.

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1. What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Through observing food places, I learned how food connects people’s daily routines with the urban environment. Each cafe, takeaway, and restaurant attracts a different mix of people like students grabbing quick sandwiches, office workers having lunch meetings, and locals enjoying slower meals. I noticed how sounds, smells, and layouts shape the atmosphere: some spaces feel calm and creative, while others are noisy and full of movement. This made me realise that food culture is not only about eating but also about how people experience time, space, and social interaction during meals.

2. What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

From this ethnography, several themes began to emerge. I started to wonder how people’s lunch habits reflect their lifestyle and daily rhythm, and how the design, sound, and lighting of each place influence their choices. The contrast between local cafes and large chain restaurants also raised questions about individuality and community around GSA. I became interested in how people balance convenience and comfort whether they choose a quick takeaway or stay longer to relax and socialise. Overall, these observations highlight how food spaces around the art school express creativity, identity, and the social life of the area.

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What did you learn from this ethnography activity?

Our group was assigned the topic of retail. First, our team of six was divided into two groups of three. We conducted field research on various retail types in Glasgow city centre.

Our subgroup chose to investigate coffee shops, gift stores, a Chinese supermarket, and a convenience store.We observed how these different retail types are designed to serve unique purposes and customer needs. For example, the gift store specifically targeted customers looking for unique, meaningful items.

Each store catered to a distinct demographic with different spending power. The coffee shop attracted customers seeking a social or work-oriented experience, while the convenience store primarily served budget-conscious shoppers looking for efficiency and essential goods.

We identified a clear link between store type, customer income, and shopping motivation. Coffee/gift shops target customers with higher disposable income seeking an "experience." In contrast, convenience stores serve everyone for daily, essential needs, where convenience often outweighs price.

What questions and themes have emerged from the ethnography process?

Based on our findings, a key emerging theme is Retail as a Social Mirror. Our observation that coffee shops target customers seeking an "experience" while convenience stores serve essential needs raises a deeper question: To what extent do the retail spaces we choose to inhabit act as public markers of our social identity and lifestyle? The contrast suggests that consumption is not just about purchasing goods, but also about performing and affirming a particular social role.

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Two of our members were sadly away so we weren't firing on all cylinders...

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Hi! Last Friday we completed the 'Design Ethnography' activity. If you're reading this, please have a look at our board above :)

a. Key Learnings from introduction

That doing an ethnography study is the first step in the design thinking process, and it centres the basic tenet of design—to have empathy with our environment and the potential users within it.

b. Key Learnings from activity

Similar studies have also been done throughout well-thought-out and researched architectural projects, but what made the whole exercise more impactful was the city of Glasgow itself. Our group focused on the Heritage of streets around GSA, and being in the vicinity of a place which celebrates their history so openly made easier for us to focus on "people" rather than the architecture. People Make Glasgow, after all!

As pointed out by Prof. Johnson in studio, heritage is not an easy concept to put to paper, but we were encouraged to go to certain businesses, buildings (religious and retail), parks to continue delving into the topic. After dithering around for a bit, we nailed down a tea shop, a church, a community centre, and two pubs that would provide us a general idea of the place. This was also made easy by the fact that I live adjacent to Sauchiehall St., a street we were urged to go to people-watch. I had been to this place many times the week before while setting up my flat.

During three hours of research, we learnt of the rich history of creatives who make up the fabric of Glasgow, and it is due to their patronage that key buildings was Sauchiehall St. function the way they do. In an essence all the creatives who came before us are immortalised by the street art projects and civic works, which excites me to contribute meaningfully as well.

c. Questions emerging from the process

While I understood that we could only have a few hours to research, and one to compile, I would have liked to conduct a longer study.

By nature, 'Heritage' is not a subject we can nail on Day 1; we need to be steeped into the culture longer, connect with more people to really get a sense of the place.

People Make Glasgow's heritage

People Make Glasgow's heritage

These are the two themes I would like to focus on—the built and the breathing.

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In this ethnography activity, I think the biggest and most primary issue lies in defining and understanding the "Built Environment". After researching, we realized that the built environment is a whole created by humans in conjunction with nature. So we began to observe the environment around GSA purposefully. We found many interesting subjects, such as the man-made stone paths and mechanisms that cleverly form a small stream on rainy days, and the small oven built by GSA students and the community in the park, which adds vitality to the community. Then the group members organized and drew the display board together. In the subsequent presentation session, the teacher made us understand that we should continue to ask who created the environment and for whom it was created. During this process, I gained a new understanding of our project.