Observation in Contextual Design

If you want to design for real people and deliver a successful product you must understand their work practices. That means observing them in the context of how they do their work, including tools, environments and communication patterns that affect the workflow.

Observation is one of the core research techniques in Versions Contextual Design, which is a user-centered design method. It involves visiting users at home or in their work environment, shadowing them doing their work and asking questions as they go along. This allows the researcher to see what happens and understand why, rather than just guessing about the reasons for something based on a preformed list of possible answers like in a focus group. It also allows the researcher to observe new things and uncover new aspects of the work process that are not evident from other methods, such as a written questionnaire or a video interview.

The main challenge of observing in the context of use is that people are not aware of their own work practice; all of the knowledge that supports what they do is tacit. In order to be aware of the work process they need to be immersed in it, so that they can become “aware in the doing” (Polanyi 1958). This is why Contextual Design uses a technique called participant observation.

The Role of Observation in Contextual Design

A typical participant observation session begins with the researcher observing the person working in their natural environment. This might be in their office, at home or at a client’s place of business. The researcher will then engage the participant in a discussion about the things that they have observed, and the goals and motivations behind those observations. The conversation may cover the whole range of topics, from the focus of the session, to previous interactions with a product, to the general workflow and objective of the participant’s job. During the discussion the researcher will explain their interpretations of the participant’s actions and why, and the participant will correct or add to these explanations. This is a true partnership, similar to the way that a master-apprentice relationship operates.

While it is possible to conduct contextual inquiry with an incomplete prototype, it is important that the software or system be fully functional before the observation begins. It is a good idea to do lots of usability testing before using this method, to help identify issues and to make sure that the product is ready for contextual inquiry.

Once the team has consolidated all of their observations and understanding of the user’s work practice, they can start to invent solutions that use technology to transform the work. This phase is called visioning, and it ensures that the design team is focused on enhancing people’s lives rather than just trying to solve the same problems they face today without taking into account how the new solution will impact their day to day work.

To be successful, a Contextual Design team needs to be a tight group. It should consist of a core team, who are on the project full time, and who are the drivers of the project. They should have the authority to get conference rooms, arrange user visits, etc. They might have helpers to set up interviews and get the project done, but they need to be a tightly knit team, who have a shared vision of what the project is all about.