Anthropological Rigour
Our researchers are trained in participant observation, shadowing, and contextual interviewing — the gold standard of ethnographic method.
Qualitative Research
Ethnographic Research in Poland
Stop asking what consumers do. Go watch them.
The Declaration-Behaviour Gap
Surveys ask. Interviews listen. Ethnography watches. And watching is where the truth lives. When a consumer tells you she “always reads the nutrition label,” the survey records a data point. When an ethnographer stands beside her in the supermarket and watches her grab the cheapest yoghurt without glancing at the label, you have an insight. That gap — between declaration and behaviour — is the reason ethnographic research exists, and it is the single most valuable gap in market research.
In-Home, In-Store, In-Context — Where We Observe
What ethnography looks like in practice. A Fieldstat researcher enters a respondent’s home and spends 2–3 hours observing how she organises her kitchen, which products sit in the front of the cabinet (and which are forgotten in the back), how she prepares a meal, and what shortcuts she takes when no one is watching. Or a researcher accompanies a B2B procurement manager through a full vendor evaluation process — observing which documents he actually reads, which he skims, and which he ignores entirely. Every observation is photographed, filmed, and annotated in real time.
Five Ethnographic Formats
Five formats for different objectives. In-home ethnography (home visits — product usage, routines, storage), accompanied shopping (real-time purchase decisions at the shelf), workplace ethnography (employee workflows, tool usage, pain points), digital ethnography/netnography (social media, forums, online communities), and mobile ethnography (respondents self-document via smartphone apps — photos, videos, voice notes, diary entries over 1–2 weeks).
Why Poland for Ethnographic Research?
Why Poland? Polish consumers are research-friendly and articulate, making in-home and accompanied visits particularly productive. Fieldstat’s ethnographic team operates across all 16 voivodeships, with researchers trained in anthropological observation methods and commercial insight extraction. We deliver ethnographic studies for FMCG, healthcare, household goods, food & beverage, and technology clients.
From Observation to Actionable Insight
From observation to action. The output of an ethnographic project is not a data table — it is a visual insight library. You receive annotated photo and video galleries, persona profiles built from real behaviours (not survey clusters), journey maps showing actual touchpoints (not assumed ones), and a prioritised list of design and communication opportunities that only observation could reveal.
Market in Numbers
2–3 hrs
per in-home ethnographic visit
8–15
observations per project
5 formats
in-home, shop-along, workplace, digital, mobile
16
voivodeships covered
Sources: ESOMAR, Ethnographic Research Association, Fieldstat
Ethnographic Formats at a Glance
| Format | Duration | What You Learn | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
In-home ethnography |
2–3 hours per visit |
Product usage, routines, storage, workarounds |
FMCG, food, household, healthcare |
Accompanied shopping |
30–90 min per trip |
Real purchase decisions, shelf interaction, price sensitivity |
Retail, FMCG, category management |
Workplace ethnography |
2–4 hours per site |
Employee workflows, tool usage, pain points |
B2B, tech, service design |
Digital ethnography |
1–4 weeks |
Online conversations, brand mentions, community dynamics |
Trends, brand perception, social listening |
Mobile ethnography |
1–2 weeks |
Self-documented behaviours, daily routines, in-context reactions |
Diaries, product trials, longitudinal studies |
Why Fieldstat?
Rich Visual Output
Annotated photo and video galleries, not just text reports. Material your design and marketing teams can immediately use.
Nationwide Coverage
We conduct ethnographic visits across all 16 Polish voivodeships — urban and rural, mainstream and niche.
Digital + Physical
We combine traditional in-person observation with mobile diaries and netnography for a complete behavioural picture.
Benefits
- See what consumers actually do — not what they say they do
- Uncover unconscious habits, workarounds, and unmet needs
- Rich visual material (photos, videos) for design and marketing teams
- Behavioural personas built from observation, not survey clusters
- Journey maps based on real touchpoints, not assumed ones
- Mobile diaries capture behaviour over days or weeks in natural context
- Digital ethnography monitors online conversations and brand perception
- Innovation inspiration from real-world consumer contexts
Applications
New product development and design thinking research
Food preparation, cooking, and meal planning observation
Household product usage and storage behaviour
Skincare, beauty, and personal care routine research
B2B workplace workflow and tool usage observation
Retail shelf interaction and category navigation
Patient experience and treatment adherence in healthcare
Digital behaviour and social media usage patterns
Implementation Process
1
Research Design
We define observation objectives, select the ethnographic format(s), and create a structured observation guide with key behaviours to document.
2
Respondent Recruitment
We recruit 8–15 participants who match your target profile and consent to being observed in their natural environment.
3
Fieldwork
Our researchers conduct immersive observations — in homes, stores, workplaces, or online — with real-time photo/video documentation and contextual interviews.
4
Analysis & Synthesis
We analyse all observational material, identifying behavioural patterns, declaration-behaviour gaps, and design opportunities.
5
Visual Insight Report
You receive annotated galleries, behavioural personas, journey maps, and a prioritised opportunity list. Delivered within 2–3 weeks of fieldwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ethnographic visits do I need?
Most projects include 8–15 observations. Ethnography is about depth, not breadth — even 8 well-conducted visits can reveal patterns invisible to surveys of thousands.
How much does ethnographic research cost in Poland?
Individual ethnographic visits cost PLN 1,500–3,000 each. Full projects (10–15 visits + report) typically range PLN 20,000–45,000, depending on format and geographic spread.
Do respondents behave naturally when observed?
Yes — this is a well-documented finding. After 10–15 minutes of initial self-consciousness, people revert to habitual behaviour. Routine activities (cooking, shopping, working) are deeply ingrained and difficult to consciously alter.
How does ethnography differ from IDI interviews?
IDI relies on verbal declarations — respondents describe their behaviour retrospectively. Ethnography observes behaviour in real time, capturing the gap between what people say and what they actually do. The methods are complementary.
Can ethnography be done digitally?
Yes. Mobile ethnography (respondents self-document via smartphone apps) and digital ethnography/netnography (analysis of online communities, forums, social media) extend the method beyond physical observation.
What output do I receive?
A visual insight report with annotated photo/video galleries, behavioural persona profiles, observed journey maps, and a prioritised list of design and communication opportunities.
Sources
Ethnography — Research Method (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EthnographyNetnography — Digital Ethnography (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetnographyESOMAR — Observational Research Guidelines
https://esomar.org/code-and-guidelines/icc-esomar-code