Design Things in Ethnographic Police Research

How, and in what ways, can design practice contribute to observational research on policing? This article outlines the potential for design research methods, and more specifically, “design Things”, to be used in ethnographic policing research. The article outlines some of design practices’ unique epistemic qualities, describes what design Things are and suggests they might relate to ethnographic policing research. Reflecting on doctoral research into police use of body-worn video cameras, the article discusses how design Things have successfully been used to introduce specific questions, matters of concern and elicit speculations from research participants. As well as highlighting the possibilities of this novel methodology for policing research, the challenges and ethical considerations are also considered.