Why Intel Hired an Anthropologist

(and Why Your Startup Should Too)?

How can your startup benefit from hiring an anthropologist?

We interviewed an anthropologist well known in Silicon

Valley, Genevieve Bell. She works for Intel and helps the

tech company think of its long-term strategy. We talked

about the future of technology and her everyday work.

Take a look at these 8 reasons why having an anthropologist in

your team can help your startup design better products.

1.

Anthropology = the study of human beings and their cultural patterns.

2.Anthropologists are needed in NGOs,

non-profits, government work, industry, and academic departments in universities.

Your organization needs a better understanding

of your customers’ behavior.

This will help you satisfy their needs

and design better products and services.

3.

In tech companies, anthropologists

observe behavior to think of where

technology fits in your customers’ lives.

This is how they work on predicting the future of technology.

4.Besides A/B testing and quantitative research,

startups should take advantage of the qualitative research that can be provided by anthropologists.

Talking to customers and observing user

behavior allow you to spot hidden problems/opportunities and generate wilder ideas.

5. Hiring a good anthropologist:

1. They have to know how to communicate to people who are not anthropologists

and

2. They should have a strong research record (know how to run research and how to analyze data)

6.

Where can you find an anthropologist for your company?

You could go to an academic conference, such as the EPIC — the Ethnographic Practice in Industry

7.

Anthropologists can help you to make sense

of the increasing level of complexity of technology, society, and culture.

8. Anthropologists can help you see people

should be taught about digital literacy, as well as digital responsibility, and citizenship.

Technology is making our world increasingly complex.

Therefore, people in all ages need appropriate

education to deal with these changes, e.g. how to think about the longevity of data and its consequences.

More about anthropology at Intel

Listen to the full episode here.

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