A couple years ago, I was doing a web project supporting youth and addiction. Getting teens to provide insight into their motiviations for substance abuse is something that takes time, and we didn't have a large research budget. So instead of cultivating relationships with teens, arranging interviews and on-site visits, I rode the bus.

Taking the bus just after school let out exposed me to dozens of youth conversations - many discussing drinking, drugs, and smoking. More importantly, it was a transparent way to get quick access to youth culture. With no recording of personally identifiable information, all conversations were anonymous, so that we preserved youth privacy.

Here's a recent picture I took on the bus, thinking more about tuning into youth culture. The two passengers are co-reading, sharing the same graphic novel throughout the half-hour ride. The next time you need some guerilla field research, think about taking the bus...

Posted in Methods on March 17, 2007

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