Contextual Enquiries

You are looking for the best solution, but there are many options. You may be unable to make a decision. Use contextual enquiries to explore the advantages and disadvantages of all the options before you.

Qualitative research allows you to explore users’ experiences. From observing users behaviour, to conducting interviews with them you will create a realistic view of users’ actual needs and problems. You will be rewarded with many design options.

IDEO talk about Shadowing, ‘ when you tag along with people to observe and understand their day-to-day routines, interactions and contexts.’

live/work explain the benefits of Customer Interviews, ‘Customer interviews are in-depth conversations with customers to gain insight into their lives and experiences. Structured but flexible discussion guides are used to focus the conversation on topics pertinent to the project in question but also leave space to understand the bigger picture.’

Another type shadowing involves sending out a group to conduct a Service Safari. From the book ‘this is service design‘, ‘The aim is to immerse oneself in an experience, to “go out into the wild,” to explore the subject matter on your own, to observe customers “in their natural habitat,” and to “hunt for insights.” Documenting your experience and observations with photos and/or audio or video recordings is useful for subsequent discussions with your peers. A service safari is really powerful as an intervention when it includes people from management, from the client, or from various departments, as it often helps participants gain a common understanding of a specific issue, building on a contextual bottom-up approach instead of a rather abstract description of an issue.’

You will always be surprisedly how rewarding all this research activity is.

Remember a person with many design options available to them is in a better position than someone with no options. Determine what is true and keep moving forward.