Contextual Inquiry
Watching people work in their own environment, which surfaces the context that interviews miss.
Definition
Contextual inquiry combines observation and interview in the user's actual working environment. The researcher watches real work and asks about it as it happens, rather than relying on recall.
Established research. Originates in published research and has been replicated. The effect is real. Its size in your product still needs measuring.
What it reveals that other methods do not
- The whole workflow, including the parts outside your product.
- Physical and social context: interruptions, shared screens, second monitors, printed reference material.
- Workarounds people no longer notice they are performing.
- The real frequency and duration of tasks, as opposed to the reported ones.
- Constraints such as poor connectivity, shared devices, gloves, noise or supervision.
Sources
Where a source establishes something narrower than the popular reading of it, the note says so.
Contextual Design
H. Beyer and K. Holtzblatt, Morgan Kaufmann, 1997
Continue from here
Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.
Applies when you are designing
Often used with
These usually appear in the same screen or the same decision.
- Interview GuideTemplate
- Journey MapTemplate
Practical example
A worked decision where this was the deciding factor.
- Putting a Data Table on a PhoneCase study
Short definition
The one-paragraph version, for when that is all you need.
Related concept
Connected closely enough to change how you apply this.
- Diary StudiesResearch method
- Research SynthesisResearch method
- User InterviewsResearch method
- DiscoveryWorkflow