Customer Ethnographic Research Design

Ethnographic Research Plan: Active Parents & Healthy Snacking

Research Approach Overview

This ethnographic research plan is designed to observe and understand how busy parents with children ages 5-12 (our “Active Family Nurturers” persona) interact with on-the-go healthy snacks in their natural environments. The research will focus on revealing the unstated needs, environmental constraints, decision-making processes, and family dynamics that influence snack choices and consumption patterns.

Methodologies

1. Contextual Inquiry (8-10 households)

• Observe snack selection, preparation, packing, and consumption during morning routines (6:30-9:00 AM)
• Document pantry organization and “snack stations” within the home
• Observe and document grocery shopping behavior specifically in snack aisles
• Interview participants in-moment about decisions and considerations

2. Shadowing (5-6 families)

• Follow parents through full-day journeys including school drop-offs, work, activities, and meal transitions
• Document snack-related touchpoints, constraints (time, location, children’s preferences)
• Note differences between planned snacking and spontaneous purchases/consumption

3. Digital Diary Studies (15-20 participants over 14 days)

• Daily mobile entries documenting:
  • Snack decisions and real-time influences
  • Photos of snacks consumed and contexts
  • Voice memos explaining situational factors
  • Emotional responses to snack situations (guilt, satisfaction, etc.)
  • Children’s reactions and behaviors

4. Cultural Probes (10 families)

• Provide participating families with:
  • Snack journey maps to complete
  • Disposable cameras to capture snacking moments
  • “Snack dilemma” scenario cards to respond to
  • Ideal snack collage materials

Research Questions to Investigate

1. How does our hypothesis that “parents compromise on nutritional standards during activity transitions due to time pressure rather than lack of healthy options” manifest in real-world contexts?
2. At what specific points in daily routines do parents feel the most tension between convenience and nutrition?
3. What environmental factors (car design, activity scheduling, storage limitations) create barriers to healthier snacking choices?
4. How do family power dynamics influence snack selection and consumption patterns?
5. What unstated emotional needs do snacks fulfill beyond nutrition for both parents and children?

Implementation Approach

Research Timeline: 8 weeks

• Week 1-2: Participant recruitment and screening
• Week 3-4: Contextual inquiry and initial shadowing
• Week 3-6: Diary studies (running concurrently)
• Week 5-6: Cultural probes distribution and collection
• Week 7-8: Analysis and insight synthesis

Team Requirements:

• 2 field researchers with consumer ethnography experience
• 1 child development specialist to interpret parent-child interactions
• 1 nutritionist to provide context on food choice parameters
• 1 product team member to participate in select field sessions

Deliverables for Product Team:

• Visual journey map of the complete snacking experience with pain points and opportunity spaces
• Behavioral archetypes revealing different snacking decision patterns
• Video highlight reel showing key contextual moments and workarounds
• Design principles for next-generation portable snack packaging development
• Prioritized needs hierarchy based on observed (vs. stated) behaviors

Success Metrics:

• Identification of at least 3 unmet needs not previously captured in survey research
• Discovery of at least 2 non-obvious usage patterns that could inform packaging design
• Generation of 5+ actionable insights that can directly influence the “Grab & Go Goodness” product line development