Learn Before
Concept
Risks of contextual inquiry
- Participants default into interview mode: Participants might begin to treat the session like a tell-all, which is what contextual inquiry seeks to avoid. Remind participants that you are interested in the fine details of their work, so they should complete it as they normally would, without you there.
- The session turns into an airing of grievances: Participants may feel you are looking for their feedback on all the problems with the system, which can turn into a presentation of their frustrations. In this situation, you should redirect the user to work as they normally would and explain the reasoning behind their actions.
- You may bring your own biases to the session: Be purposeful about leaving all your previous understanding about the work behind you and go into the research with an open mind, treating everything you learn with the same level of importance.
- You may bias the user: During the session, the participant may adjust their process to fit into the discussion or your interpretations. Make sure to stress that users should always work as they normally would and favor open-ended conversation that allows them to fill in the blanks for you.
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Updated 2021-02-06
Tags
User experience (UX) research
Design Science