By Jan Chipchase - January 16, 2012
The views expressed here are my own, and not my employer, clients or other stakeholders.
I enjoyed going to the recent Pop!Tech conference—the combination of bright minds, warm hearts and the Maine autumn is highly conducive to reflecting on what has been and imagining on what will be next.
During the event, I gave a talk to the audience about my research work, and in the panel session at the end of my talk I took two questions from a member of the audience relating to personal motivations of doing this kind of research and whether anyone has the moral right to extract knowledge from a community for corporate gain. Given the asker’s frustrated-politeness I’ll paraphrase what I (and a bunch of folks that came up to me after the talk) took as the intent of his questions:
"What’s is like working for BigCorps pillaging the intellect of people around the world for commercial gain?"
"How do you sleep at night as the corporations you work for pump their worthless products into the world?"
Short answer is that I sleep just fine.*
Those with a desire to go beyond the 110 character headlines should draw a fresh mug of their favourite brew, find a comfy armchair, and read on.
By Jan Chipchase - October 12, 2011
The evolving design of the digital devices that are starting to fill our stores and schools will change the way we think, behave, and buy.
There are certain cities around the world where it's possible to learn about tomorrow's technology as it's being developed today. Tokyo -- still -- offers the most tightly integrated infrastructure, where smooth, technology-driven experiences take place when engaging in everyday actions, such as verifying personal identity, paying for goods, and buying tickets. Nairobi is an excellent destination for mobile banking. San Francisco is the center for startup thinking (and doing). And Seoul is the destination for the newest electronic displays, a place where you can immediately get immersed in daring new screen technologies. As we rely more on our smart phones, laptops, and tablet computers to acquire and share information, as we develop sharper and more interactive large-scale electronic signs in stores, on streets, and on billboards, it's worthwhile to look to a city that offers glimpses into the future of global screen culture.
By Jan Chipchase - August 18, 2011
The revolution is right here in front of us; we just can’t see it yet.
By Jan Chipchase - June 14, 2011
Want to find the next big idea? Here’s a counterintuitive way to start:
- First, acknowledge that America is a place where consumers often lag behind the rest of the world when it comes to the mass adoption of new technologies.
- Second, take a step back and look at what innovations have worked outside of the United States.
- Finally, consider how to bring these innovations to American audiences.
By Jan Chipchase - May 17, 2011
From iPhones to sneakers, Chinese imitations are everywhere—but these products could actually be good for innovation.
About a year ago, I joined frog's Shanghai studio on a personal mission to better understand the Chinese market, a market that has intrigued and inspired me for almost a decade.
By Jan Chipchase - April 11, 2011
In Cairo for a week of client research, workshops and keynotes. It's good to be back in this great country for my fourth visit here. I'm working out of a downtown hotel, with a team of six, plus three local guides, who we’ll sync with over breakfast, before hitting the streets. It’s good to have time to calibrate to the city – especially one that has gone through so much disruptive change. There’s freedom in the air and most people that I’ve spoken to recognise that the hard work in building what's next is yet to come. Tahrir Square is alive with the sounds of debate, face painted kids, and the detritus of protest.
By Jan Chipchase - March 1, 2011
In the summer of 2010, I conducted field research in Afghanistan with generous support from the Institute for Money, Technology, and Financial Inclusion at the University of California at Irvine. My research partner Panthea Lee and I led a nimble local team to investigate how people use cell phones to do their banking—known in the industry as mobile money. The findings from the field study are now available for download, along with a number of images captured on the trip.
By Jan Chipchase - August 30, 2010
frog's Executive Creative Director for Global Insights Jan Chipchase is currently in Afghanistan doing a research study with generous support from the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion. He is working with a nimble local team to explore topics around mobile banking, known in the industry as mobile money — a presentation he recently gave to the US State Department on the subject can be found here. This is the fourth in a series of dispatches from his field studies.
Given the situation in Afghanistan how smart is it to conduct street/ad-hoc research on the ground? To answer this it’s worth reflecting on the working models for 3 different foreigner roles in Afghanistan: the military, NGO staff, and journalists.
By Jan Chipchase - August 24, 2010
frog's Executive Creative Director for Global Insights Jan Chipchase is currently in Afghanistan doing a research study with generous support from the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion. He is working with a nimble local team to explore topics around mobile banking, known in the industry as mobile money — a presentation he recently gave to the US State Department on the subject can be found here. This is the third in a series of dispatches from his field studies.
A 5:30am start to the day to a drive down to Jalalabad for a number of interviews in the city and surrounds. There are a few spots on the mountainous route that trigger nervous smiles — where the scars of convoy attacks by the Taliban are visible on the road — but mostly it's a fantastic ride into Afghanistan’s outdoors, with the occasional wait behind the beautifully ornate Pakistani trucks.
By Jan Chipchase - August 23, 2010
frog's Executive Creative Director for Global Insights Jan Chipchase is currently in Afghanistan doing a research study with generous support from the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion. He is working with a nimble local team to explore topics around mobile banking, known in the industry as mobile money — a presentation he recently gave to the US State Department on the subject can be found here. This is the second in a series of dispatches from his field studies.
How does Ramadan — the Islamic month of fasting, during which time the devout avoid eating and drinking between dawn and dusk — impact your ability to conduct field research in a country with a large Muslim population? In the past few years I’ve run a couple of such studies — in Iran, Egypt, Malaysia and now here in Afghanistan. What does the non-devout researcher need to know in order to function effectively and appropriately during this time?
The impact of Ramadan on field research falls into a few distinct categories: social dynamics, participant dynamics, and team tactics, each of which is covered below.
