Different kind of empathy: chatbot ethnography as another way of ‘being there’

Abstract

This thesis explores the development and deployment of the Ethnobot—a chatbot co-ethnographer—designed to investigate ethnographic presence in digitally mediated and algorithmically structured environments. Drawing from design anthropology, research through design (RtD), and human-computer interaction, the research traces how conventional ethnographic methods face limitations in capturing ephemeral, distributed interactions across Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructures and algorithmic cultures. Originating from fieldwork in the Smart Transactions in Public Spaces (STiPS) project, the Ethnobot emerged as a methodological and conceptual response to these constraints. Through iterative deployments across public festivals, educational initiatives, urban sensing projects, and service design contexts, the chatbot was co-designed to elicit participant narratives, facilitate reflective engagement, and document contextual data. This practice-led inquiry reframes empathy, presence, and co-ethnography by positioning the chatbot as a speculative yet functional research tool. It examines whether ethnographic engagement can persist without physical co-presence, and how designed agents can extend the epistemic commitments of ethnography. By situating the Ethnobot within broader debates on automation, design ethics, and participatory methodologies, the thesis contributes to emerging conversations on the future of ethnographic practice in socio-technical systems.