This is the deck from a talk I gave at the June 2011 SheSays conference on digital anthropology and user research. It covers my thoughts on new ways of making, customer development, and a few tips we might take out of the anthropological handbook.

1. TOWARDS A NEW WAY OF MAKING

2. “In a world getting more and more democratic,
film directing is the last resort for dictators”

3. THE OLD WAY OF MAKING
being a maker is expensive, complex and isolated

4. A NEW WAY OF MAKING
begins with widespread access to simple and effective publishing tools

5. A NEW WAY OF MAKING
leads to self-starting, crowdfunding and quite literally, making your own

9. Focus groups and making workshops
Smarter web feedback forms
Blogs
Twitter and Facebook
Skype interviews and screen sharing
KISS insights

10. “Companies really need to
be looking at the social
revolution for possibly one
reason over everything
else: insights into human
behaviour that can lead to
future innovations or even
product/service
improvements."
DAVID ARMANO
Writing in 2008 about the emergence
of digital anthropology

11. THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL RELATIVITY
as we’re learning about people through their digital + social behaviour

12. Makers must adapt to survive

13. Makers must adapt to survive
This means listening, responding...

14. Makers must adapt to survive
This means listening, responding...
...and pivoting

15. TIPS FOR MAKERS IN A MORE CONNECTED AGE*
* of course, you can’t take everyone’s advice on board
1. Make friends with the locals
2. Observe – and don’t overthink
3. Respond quickly and in little ways
4. Be thoughtful about your aims: maintain, throw out, shift ideas
5. Be ready to learn from your users

16. THANK YOU
Sara Williams, Made by Many
@saradotdub
@madebymany