Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Mid fieldwork

I've completed 13 interviews and 2 observation sessions and have received 2 diaries back so far. My trip to Melbourne is fast approaching too. I haven't booked any accomodation yet so have to get on to that. I'm staying there for 2 nights and 2 days while I conduct the interviews at my research site there. I realised that the organisation of my method means that I need to make an additional trip to Melbourne in a few weeks time to collect the diaries and conduct the observation sessions. I've considered altering the sequence so that I do it all in the two days that I'm there but not only will this be a real stretch timewise but I think it will be a bit overwhelming. As it is, I'm conducting 3 interviews on one day and two on the other. I'm hoping that Sarah can come with me on the second trip and we can make a long weekend of it.

I'm really happy with the material generated so far. The 2 returned diaries are packed full of interesting snippets and details. I'm impressed with how much thought has gone into them. Yesterday I picked up a book at Gleebooks, "Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes". Not that I have any shortage of data but I feel that there are many interesting observations in and around the actual contact that I have with participants that can add to my overall data. I've been a bit ad hoc though with my method of notation and felt that a more systematic approach could really assist me. What I like about this book is that it touches on some of the theory behind writing as part of the ethnographic process but is very practical in its orientation.

Qwerty is back and getting stronger every day. She's also hungry as a wolf and gives me those starving eyes all day long. Her appetite is greatly increased by the medication she is on for her autoimmune condition. Oh woah is me, it is difficult to resist them.


1 comment:

Ms M said...

Yeah thanks Glen. It is. Picked up another one today that's also great. Some people do find it difficult to reflect on their technology use though but this in itself is interesting. So far, in my observations, younger workers are much less differentiated from the computer technology they use than those who have lived through a transition from non-computerised to computerised systems. Age lends people a perspective or distance to reflect on use but the diaries seem to have a similar function in that they provide a forum/space for another way of thinking about things.