What we do and why, and what’s on the horizon.

Studio D is a design, research and strategy consultancy based out of San Francisco. We specialise in getting teams on the ground, anywhere in the world, figuring what is going on through ethnographic research and applying what we learn to make an impact.

Most of our work is, and will remain confidential.

This is our fifth year in operation.

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2018 has been both exhilarating and humbling. It included many memorable moments, from negotiating checkpoints in the Beqaa Valley, immersing clients in the sensemaking process in our Marin popup studio, herding sticky-fingered police in Tajikistan, dawn runs through the mist in St James Park, ham-fisted attempts at extortion from a candidate for the world’s least-professional criminal, a coke-buyer’s motorbike tour of São Paulo, to administering advanced yak care in Afghanistan. Lessons learned from diverse experiences have informed our training schedule for 2019.

Consulting

All this year’s projects and clients will likely remain confidential.

The Origin of Insight, The Impact of AI

This feels like the year that AI/machine learning broke into the mainstream. What impact will it have on people and organisations that are in the business of generating and applying insights?

While ethnographic data, quantitative data, and analytics provide insights into what people do and how, only well run ethnographic research can reveal why people behave as they do. A fundamental question for clients is whether understanding why is important for the the optimal outcome. In most cases (and always for our clients) it is. If you’re not versed in ethnographic methods, you might assume that “why” is the first question we ask, when in reality we rely heavily on evidence drawn from the context, known behaviours and other patterns to reach our conclusions. The why question is only interesting when compared to other convergent data because only then it can reveal the difference between the identity the participant wants to project and the reality of the choices they make.

Why is AI an interesting disruptor for insight generation?

Shining light or throwing shade? Beirut

Firstly, never underestimate the value of novelty/black boxes to engage people in a process and its outcomes — both are widely applied in consultancy business development to win projects, and many clients (let alone the consultancies that pitch to them) often don’t have the literacy to understand the veracity of the claims. Novelty is neither good or bad, but it focuses on short term solutions rather than integration into a larger system. Looking ahead, the literacy of all parties evolves over time, not least from failed or sub-optimal outcomes.

Secondly, being software the models and their outcomes can be studied and refined over time, rapidly building upon best and worst practice as seen through the eyes of different stakeholders. The meta-trend to watch is the regulatory environment governing algorithms, starting with those that impact public services.

Thirdly, for tightly defined problems, such as identifying a particular disease in a crop, removing backgrounds from photos, or transcribing and annotating an an audio interview, it can be relatively easy for someone to ascertain whether it improves on the accuracy, value or other metrics of what went before. However for more interrelated issues, and let’s face it many of you are working on system level challenges that involve wonderfully diverse humans, the allure of improvement in one area can mask unintended negative consequences in others. Changes to parts of the whole, are of course an issue whenever we change systems, with one important caveat for AI — the algorithm coder may not know the reason why a particular outcome was chosen, only that in a discrete task it performs better by the metrics that were set. Who sets the metrics and what interests do they represent?

Fourthly, the biases in the training data can result in marginalising or otherwise negatively impacting many of the users/consumers/constituents that the AI touches, without the “designers” being aware it occurring, assuming they care.

Cherry blossom on the border between Tajikistan & Afghanistan

A well run ethnographic research process will surface cultural, experiential and cognitive biases within the team and the tools that they use, and proactively address them. Is the process perfect? Of course not. But it’s one that is manageable and when optimally applied, is transparent to those that need to apply the insights. For further reading on bias in AI and machine learning, read up on the research of Kate Crawford and others at the AI Now Institute at New York University.

Finally, and most overlooked, the prevalence of AI applied solutions through novelty and tightly defined wins, will shift the landscape of what is considered “a good enough solution”, particularly when cost is the primary driver. Most people don’t have the time or skills to consider the broader system, so these successes can and will lead to death by hitting the numbers. The scale of deployments will lead to non-trivial social disruption, also at scale. Which brings us back around to field researchers, and practitioners with social science, arts and humanities backgrounds: the overarching trend of having more data, requires more practitioners capable of asking smarter and more representative questions, understanding the difference between sympathy and empathy, processes for uncovering the unknown, and being in a position to impact what the insights are applied to.

Real, or generated by AI? Copenhagen. Or not.

The smart researcher recognises that AI is merely a tool, and that like all tools, it has the potential to amplify what she is capable of, assuming time is taken to understand its use in a given context. Experiment with tools, learn the language of your engineering peers, and figure out how it can improve your, and their work.

As a side note, I’m happy to see more conversations about ethics bubble up, particularly in Silicon Valley. Ethics are ingrained in the choices we make every day, and while we can make decisions on life-principles the complexity of the world out there mean we’re never going to get it right every time. Being brutally honest about our own failures is ultimately what defines character and is the foundation on which positive impact can be built.

Masterclasses

We’ve now delivered thirty-three Field Study Fundamentals Masterclasses, and in 2018 our line-up included Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Jakarta, London, Mountain View, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, Shanghai, Stockholm, and a number in undisclosed locations on behalf of private clients.

In spring 2019 we’ll run another world tour, that includes classic The Field Study Fundamentals, and the upcoming Sensemaking for Impact. Schedule to be announced via the mailing list (complete with a new identity) mid-January.

The calm before the storm, Baggensfjärden

When the numbers of attendees for Masterclasses and Field / Retreats are combined we’ve trained over 700 people in Studio D field study methods. Attendees hail from many of the vibrant players in the markets we’ve run them, for example in the US this includes Adidas, Airbnb, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Lyft, Nike, Shopify, Twitch and Uber, most of the major consultancies, numerous independents, with many organisations buying multiple tickets (we offer a 5+1) and a few hosting a masterclasses internally.

Numbers aside, each attendee is a seed of an idea planted in their organisation and community, that will lead to better, more meaningful, and more impactful ways to engage with users, consumers and constituents in the world out there.

Retreats

The working principle for retreats is to find a sprawling, beautiful home that is surrounded by nature and mountains, and invite sixteen people to hangout, work, in an environment of good conversations, food and drinks. In 2018 we ran Field / Retreats in Japan, Myanmar and Lebanon and a Focus/ Retreat in Japan.

A lot of thought goes into finding suitable venues and capable hosts. Our venues this year have included a 400 year-old sheik’s palace in the Chouf mountains of Lebanon, an eco lodge in Shan State Myanmar and minkas (traditional lodges) near Kyoto and Kanazawa.

As a student of human nature, I love observing the social dynamics of the retreat evolve over the four days, from the initial stiffness on the first evening, the negotiation of social spaces, the self organising that occurs to ensure things run smoothly, through to the bonds that form over late night conversations. The art in running these is in priming the space, setting the tone and pace, so that relationships evolve organically. Someone described it as “social engineering with positive intent” which sounds about right.

Scouting next year’s retreat venues, Tripoli

While we want everyone who attends to find their groove, we don’t offer comfort in the classic sense of a hotel room + bathroom, but rather nudge people into situations that requires engagement. To provide a few examples of the character of the retreats: in Lebanon our 400 year old sheikh’s palace, had some folks sleeping in the vast living room under faded photos and paintings of past residents, an inquisitive ram by the name of Abdul who roamed the grounds, and two bathrooms that could have done with more modern plumbing.

Not that we push it this far on the retreats, but in our field work I’ve come to appreciate that any team can survive three nights in pretty much any new environment, compromising on things they would previously been unhappy with, as long as they are aligned to the mission, and there’s a clear end-point (after three nights interpersonal and privacy issues often become an issue). When the Lebanon retreat attendees were asked their preference for modern bathrooms in a modern venue or staying in the sheikh’s palace, the (anonymous) vote was unanimously for the latter. Our tribe understands our intent and embraces unique experiences.

Next year we’ll run four different retreats, the details of which will go out in January’s newsletter.

Field /

Sensemaking for Impact /

Operating in Challenging Environments /

Focus /

The minka, our venue for Focus /

Focus /

My co-host for the Focus / Retreat is the ever eloquent Craig Mod. This year we held the event in a farmhouse near Kanazawa, Japan. While tickets for the other retreats are open for sale, we send out personal invitations and curate attendees for Focus. The goal is to produce the optimal mix of people, life-experience, gender and goals. The theme of Focus is Side Projects — the things we are passionate about and commit time and energy to, but may not necessarily be what we’re known for. We believe that side projects are the truest indicator of who you are and what you want to become.

The event includes a broad mix of attendees, and while some have created products used by hundreds of millions of people, there are others just starting out, pulsing with potential. We’ve found everyone has something to contribute when given an equal platform. And regarding the scope of work, in the words of Craig: “its OK to find a scale that is meaningful for you”.

To apply, complete the Focus / Retreat Application Form.

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If you’ve known me for a while or have experienced my permaphucked state, you might balk at the idea that I’m sociable enough to host these events. Eighteen months ago I would have concurred, preferring the solitude of a remote mountain range to engaging a sprawling mansion full of people. However, I hadn’t anticipated how enjoyable they would be, the opportunities for personal growth and from bringing members of the tribe together. Thank you.

Expeditions

This was the first year of running expeditions, the Borderlands to Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan, and A Short Walk through Afghanistan’s Big Pamir mountain range that was kindly sponsored by Leica.

A few things stand out from the year.

The first is that when you attract people who are or want to be part of the tribe, they’ll work with you to overcome challenges, to achieve the end goal. Every expedition includes high stress moments that can’t be predicted in advance, and in that moment you find out who you and the people around you really are. Two of the attendees on the Pamirs Expedition had the skills and temperament to have lead it, and if I’m honest probably could have done a better job than me, but worked within the existing structure with support and personal sacrifice. Consider for a moment on your goals for next year, and given your challenges ahead—what do you want to achieve, and who do you want alongside you?

The second is the importance of personal and team reflection. Being at high altitude surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges is highly conducive for the first, and keeping an expedition log, where all members of the team can contribute supports the second. Each expedition ends with a debrief to reinforce lessons learned.

Negotiating terrain, Badakhshan Province

The third is being brutally honest about one’s own weaknesses, systematic about breaking down why the challenges arose by tracing decisions back to their source, and proactive about addressing them going forward. Accept that if you’re doing things that are out there on the edge it’s not about getting everything right, but being in a problem-solving mindset and doing what it takes to push through as a team in one piece, in good spirits.

What do we have cued up for next year?