An Ethnographic Discussion Guide Written by AI

I asked GPT3 to create a discussion guide for a 2 hour ethnographic interview on users of ChatGPT to understand why people use it and what improvements should be made to the ChatGPT product and brand

After initially providing an outline, I asked it to write the questions that a researcher would ask a research participant.

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Introduce yourself and the purpose of the interview: "Hi, my name is [Name] and I'm here to conduct a research interview with you about your experiences using ChatGPT. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

• Explain the concept of ethnography and how it will inform the conversation: "Ethnography is a research method that involves studying people in their natural environment and trying to understand their perspectives and experiences. During this interview, I'll be asking you questions about your use of ChatGPT and your thoughts on the product and brand. Does that make sense?"

• Obtain consent from the participant to record the interview: "Do you mind if I record this interview? I'll be transcribing the audio later to help me write up my findings."

• Set the ground rules for the interview (e.g., confidentiality, respectful communication): "It's important that we have a respectful and confidential conversation. Anything you share with me will be kept confidential, and I'll do my best to create a safe and comfortable space for us to talk. Is there anything you want to discuss before we begin?"

2. Warm-up questions (10 minutes)

• Ask the participant to introduce themselves and provide some background information (e.g., age, occupation, education): "Could you tell me a little bit about yourself? What do you do for a living and how old are you?"

• Ask about their familiarity with ChatGPT and how they discovered it: "How did you first come across ChatGPT? Had you heard of it before or was it something you stumbled upon?"

• Explore their motivations for using ChatGPT (e.g., curiosity, entertainment, education): "What made you want to try ChatGPT? Was it curiosity, entertainment, or something else?"

3. In-depth exploration (60 minutes)

• Ask the participant to describe their typical experience using ChatGPT (e.g., how often they use it, what they do with it, how they feel while using it): "Can you walk me through a typical experience you have with ChatGPT? How often do you use it and what do you do with it? How do you feel while using it?"

• Probe for any challenges or frustrations they have encountered while using ChatGPT: "Have you had any challenges or frustrations while using ChatGPT? What were they and how did you deal with them?"

• Explore their perceptions of the ChatGPT brand and how it compares to similar products: "How do you perceive the ChatGPT brand? How does it compare to similar products you've used?"

• Ask about their expectations for the future of ChatGPT and what improvements they would like to see: "What do you think the future holds for ChatGPT? Are there any improvements or new features you'd like to see?"

4. Wrapping up (30 minutes)

• Summarize the key points that have emerged from the conversation: "To wrap up, I just want to summarize some of the key points we've covered. You mentioned that you use ChatGPT [frequency] and that you enjoy it because [reasons]. You also mentioned that you've experienced [challenges] and that you'd like to see [improvements] in the future. Is there anything else you'd like to add before we finish up?"

• Ask the participant if they have any final thoughts or comments on ChatGPT or the interview process: "Do you have any final thoughts?