In this episode of the Anthro to UX podcast, Jay Hasbrouck speaks with Matt Artz about his UX journey, visual anthropology, and how ethnographic thinking can contribute to strategy and new product development. Jay earned a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Southern California, works as a Pathfinder for Facebook, and is the author of Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset.
About Jay Hasbrouck
Jay Hasbrouck has over 15 years of experience working as an anthropologist in industry settings, including both in-house roles and consulting. He currently works as a Pathfinder on the New Product Experimentation team at Facebook. Previously Jay was a partner at Ethnoworks, the founder of Filament Insights & Innovation, a senior human factors specialist at IDEO, and a research scientist at Intel. Jay is also the author of Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset.
About Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset
Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset argues that ‘ethnographic thinking’―the thought processes and patterns ethnographers develop through their practice―offers companies and organizations the cultural insights they need to develop fully-informed strategies. Using real-world examples, Hasbrouck demonstrates how shifting the value of ethnography from simply identifying consumer needs to driving a more holistic understanding of a company or organization can help it benefit from a deeper understanding of the dynamic and interactive cultural contexts of its offerings. In doing so, he argues that such an approach can also enhance the strategic value of their work by helping them increase appreciation for openness and exploration, hone interpretive skills, and cultivate holistic thinking, in order to broaden perspectives, challenge assumptions, and cross-pollinate ideas between differing viewpoints.
Recommended Links

Jay Hasbrouck on LinkedIn
Jay Hasbrouck's Personal Website
Jay Hasbrouchk's Blog - The Ethnographic Mind
Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset on Amazon
EPIC 2021