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The Pop-Up Ethnographer: Roles of the Researcher in Temporary Spaces

This journal paper describes the changing requirements of the researcher as a multifaceted agent in temporal research roles. It proposes a new framework necessary for evaluating work undertaken in an ever more mobile and networked environment, to reflect the adoption of ‘pop-up’ environments and culture in art, society and business. These spaces, which can take the form of work environments (e.g. NESTA’s ‘Productive Coffee Breaks’), training (e.g. workshops), knowledge exchange (e.g. sandpits, culture hacks), and social environments (e.g. festivals) are increasingly cited as methods and spaces for innovation, across industry, policy making, art, design and technology.

The paper discusses the changing and challenging roles that researchers must adopt and move between (from organiser, catalyst, facilitator, participant, observer, and analyst) by examining four empirical case studies. These short term studies, delivered in the course of research council funded projects, ‘Designing for Delight’ and ‘The Serendipitous Maypole’ for SerenA RCUK, ‘Chattr’ for AHRC KE Hub ‘Creative Exchange’ and ‘eChiasma’ for AHRC KE Hub ‘Design in Action’, all have different research goals, but are united in their contribution to and enrichment of ethnographic practices. The paper was presented to academics and industry (Google, Intel, Microsoft, IMB, Motorola etc) at the primary international conference for ethnographic praxis in industry at The Royal Institute, London.