anthropology and freelancing
DESCRIPTION
There are some surprising connections ideas that freelancers and small service businesses can gain from anthropology. (Presentation from Freelance Austin, October 2010)TRANSCRIPT
BEING A MARGARET MEAD FOR YOUR FREELANCE BUSINESSCHRIS BAILEY :: BAILEY WORKPLAYFREELANCE AUSTIN :: OCTOBER 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
OR...IF MARGARET MEAD HAD TO FILE A 1099CHRIS BAILEY :: BAILEY WORKPLAYFREELANCE AUSTIN :: OCTOBER 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
TODAY’S OBJECTIVES
help you:
find more business
create better client relationships
build greater awareness for your biz
Sunday, October 17, 2010
TODAY’S LAYOUT
intro of anthropology
freelancer’s anthropology toolkit
discovery & research
ethnography
assessment & evaluation
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A (VERY) BRIEF INTRO TO ANTHROPOLOGY
Sunday, October 17, 2010
WHAT ANTHROPOLOGISTS DO
study cultures
understand group behaviors
solve human problems
Sunday, October 17, 2010
SOME NOTED ANTHROPOLOGISTS
margaret mead
alfred radcliffe-brown
clifford geertz
Sunday, October 17, 2010
USAGE IN BUSINESS
corporate cultures
usability studies
customer experience
Sunday, October 17, 2010
YOUR ANTHROPOLOGY TOOLKIT
Sunday, October 17, 2010
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
question everything
curiosity is our friend
assumptions make you a...well, you know
try out multiple perspectives
Sunday, October 17, 2010
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
consider symbols and rituals
what are your client’s rituals?
what symbols do they most value?
understand what’s most important to them...uncover hidden meaning
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ETHNOGRAPHY & PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
visit client’s business
observe interactions with customers and employees
notice environment
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ETHNOGRAPHY & PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
anthropology and freelancing are not 100% spectator sports
learn through action
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ETHNOGRAPHY & PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
experience the world of your client
what is business like for them?
what are their fears?
what are their pains?
what do they think makes them remarkable?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION
grow through continual improvement
start with a theory
get your data
take action
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION
collect data from your clients
ask clients how service can be improved
seek out post-project feedback
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION
other feedback from your clients
ask for feedback related to growing your business
ask for the reference
ask for the referral
Sunday, October 17, 2010
SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS
how are your clients connected?
are these weak or strong ties?
what can you do to be a better connector?
BONUS!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
WRAP-UP
learn what your client believes is most important and go after it
experience the culture of your client
grow your business through constant assessment and evaluation
help your clients grow by connecting them to other businesses
Sunday, October 17, 2010
IF MARGARET MEAD HAD TO FILE A 1099
CHRIS BAILEY :: BAILEY WORKPLAYFREELANCE AUSTIN :: OCTOBER 2010
W: WWW.BAILEYWORKPLAY.COME: [email protected]: @CHRIS_BAILEY OR @BAILEYWORKPLAY
THANK YOU
Sunday, October 17, 2010