Earlier this month students taking ANTH 487, a course dedicated to academic-based work experience with a local organization, and their instructor, Dr. Tamara Hale, held a client kick-off meeting with Otterbox, a leading maker of smartphone covers, at their headquarters in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado.

Students following a practical “Introduction to Design Anthropology” class, led by Dr. Hale, met with the Innovation team at Otterbox to discuss their proposed research methods investigating the theme of technology and ‘disconnection’ and to understand Otterbox’s interest in the topic. Students will be conducting short ethnographic research then reporting their findings back to a team of product developers and designers at the end of the course.