ABSTRACT
Design ethnography uncovers “thick descriptions” of a community’s sense of identity. To obtain these thick descriptions, the researcher embeds within the life of that community in real time, discovering social outlooks and interactions that may not be obtained at a distance. This chapter features design ethnography conducted in a large international company using an open office plan as a model for workplace design. Is it successful? The chapter uses the term felt interiority to describe the experiences of office workers. Designers can learn to use on-the-ground ethnography as one way to comprehend client cultures. The findings also help designers to understand open office plans in general and ways to address issues of identity, aesthetics, and territoriality in those settings.
