Contextual inquiry is an ethnographic research method that has a history with interactive and also product design. What makes it different from a regular interview and different from normal observation is that you’re observing a user in the context of their using the product you’re studying—and you’re asking them questions to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Futhermore, you’re collecting data (though notes and recordings) that you can synthesize later to find themes, patterns, and design opportunities. (More resources at the end of the post.)
Practical Tips for Conducting Contextual Inquiries
- Confirm logistics with your interviewee. Ask them about parking, getting into a place, phone numbers, etc. Be sure to confirm directions and time. Have phone numbers and addresses handy as you’re heading to the place in case you get lost. Budget in time to get lost, so that you still arrive early. In the conversations before your interview, don’t forget to…
- Prepare your interviewee(s). Let them know ahead of time what to expect from a contextual inquiry. Set the stage that this is more than just shadowing, and more than an interview, and that you want to ask a lot of questions as you’re observing. Ask beforehand whether you’ll be able to record or take photos. And since you’ll have thought this out enough to explain it to someone else beforehand, you’ll…
- Be prepared. Figure out your focus and what kinds of information you want to get out of the contextual inquiry. Write out the questions, and print them out, so you can use it as a roadmap to make sure key areas aren’t missed. Define your roles and…
- Designate a driver and a notetaker. One person can focus on the person, and the other can focus on capturing the data (notetaker keeps on top of the roadmap of questions). When you’re on your own, you miss a lot because you’re worried about taking things down, so you forget to…
- Always ask “Why?” This is a hard habit to acquire, but it’s the root of contextual inquiry. The driver should be asking “Why?” nearly every other question, and the notetaker should watch out for when they’re missing a “Because” for any action. We’re trying to understand why people are doing what they’re doing, which adds a level of insight if you…
- Use all 5 senses. Look around, eavesdrop. What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactility, feelings appear in the space or the experience? Take note of your gut, and your feelings in the space as well. These are things that may not be captured even if you…
- Bring a digital camera, a video camera, an audio recorder. Get as much photo/audio/video as you can. The audio recorder comes in handy if they say no to video, or if you’re in a situation where video is too intrusive. Which reminds me…
- Don’t forget tripod, extra batteries, extra memory cards, and your smartphone. Charge batteries and empty memory cards the night before. Your smartphone doubles as camera and maybe even video camera in a pinch, but you’ll probably still need to…
- Use the almighty pen and paper. Bring extra of those as well. When all your tech equipment fails, or if you’re in a situation where you can’t record anything, you’ll be writing as furiously as possible to capture data. For paper or notebook, think handheld and easily accessible. You’ll also want to…
- Collect artifacts. Papers, handouts, samples of whatever is in the environment that your interviewee or those they interact with are using. If you can’t take along a physical sample, ask if you can take a photo instead. You’ll probably want to…
- Wear clothes with pockets. You don’t want to be digging around in your bag for something as you…
- Go with the Flow. Nothing ever goes as expected — either for your interviewee or for you. So go with it, as long as you remember to…
- Always ask “Why?”
As soon as you can after a contextual inquiry, sit down with your team and DEBRIEF. Take notes of top-of-head themes, design ideas, important observations, feelings. You’ll record and code all of your data and review all of your media later, but these initial impressions are important because your gut reactions tend to get lost as you become more and more familiar with the space and the people and the data.
Some Contextual Inquiry Resources:
- Contextual Inquiry and Field Studies from Dey Alexander Consulting
- Information & Design: Usability Resources
- Contextual Inquiry: Fluid Project Wiki
- Rapid Contextual Design: A How-To Guide to Key Techniques for User-Centered Design by Karen Holtzblatt
