CLASS 05: Contextual Inquiry

Learning objectives:

1. To learn basic Principles of Contextual Inquiry

2. To understand how Ethnographers conduct the inquiry.

3. To introduce affinity diagramming to set a focus, Informed Consent and transcribing contextual research.

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IDUS 215 Contextual Research Methods

Contextual Inquiry : Context Context

Understanding ACTIVITY (work, play, leisure, etc.) in its natural environment:

• Go to the users

• Observe and document real activity where it is normally done

• Interview the users while they are working/playing/doing

– Discover details and intricacies of specific activities

– Be confident that you are observing and recording concrete, real data

The interrelated conditions within which something occurs or exists

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Contextual Inquiry : Context Context

Pay attention to the user’s context:

• Physical activity space

• The work/activity – tasks, sequences

• The work/activity intentions

• User’s words/language/terminology

• Tools used – physical artifacts, placement of objects, commonly used vs. rarely used items

• Other people and how they work/play, etc. together

• Organizational structure (for work activities) – Industry

– Business goals

• Social and cultural influences

The interrelated conditions within which something occurs or exists

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Contextual Inquiry : Partnership Partnership

• Master (user)/Apprentice (you , the researcher) relationship

• Encourages users to share their expertise

• Suspend your assumptions and beliefs

• Invite the user into the inquiry process as a co-designer

• The user is the expert! “The only person who really knows everything about his work is the one doing it”.

A relationship characterized by close cooperation

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Contextual Inquiry : Partnership Partnership

– Lead off with some “opening” questions – Let the user lead the conversation – Use open-ended questions:

“Can you tell me about what you’re doing?” “Can you talk about why you’re doing ..” “Is that what you expected to happen?”

– Listen! Listen! Listen! – Pay attention to communication that is non-verbal – Expect to learn

A relationship characterized by close cooperation

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Contextual Inquiry : Interpretation

Interpretation

– As an investigator, we will always be trying to establish meaning in what

we discover

fact > hypothesis > implication for design > design idea

– Make interpretation explicit by verifying (discussing) your interpretations with the user, and watch for hidden signals that your interpretation may be wrong (often these are non-verbal).

The assignment of meaning to observations established through reaching a

shared understanding of unarticulated aspects of the activity that matter.

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Contextual Inquiry : Interpretation Interpretation

– Always label “facts” with the line numbers from our interview transcripts or the time from a video tape

– Everything labeled with a line number is concrete data; everything else is an unchecked assumption

– During design, be wary of unchecked assumptions

The assignment of meaning to observations

line numbers indicate concrete data

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Contextual Inquiry : Focus

Focus

– Perhaps the most important aspect of the Contextual Inquiry process.

– A perspective

– A set of pre-conceived assumptions and beliefs

– Will reveal and conceal (criteria for selectivity)

• Ethical concerns

• Privacy concerns

• Relevant or irrelevant?

The point of view an interviewer takes while studying work

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Contextual Inquiry : Focus

Focus

– Focus serves many roles:

• Directs the selection of participants

• Helps manage limited interview time

• Directs questioning towards a goal

• Creates understanding

– Clear focus steers the conversation

The point of view an interviewer takes while studying work

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Contextual Inquiry as described in Beyer & Holtzblatt (p. 20-21):

• Contextual Inquiry is the user research phase in the design process

• CI was developed as a solution to the challenge to design a

process that would lead to new kinds of systems rather than iterating existing systems. – Intention was to suggest wholly new directions, going beyond

prototyping and usability testing – CI puts designers and engineers directly in the customer, user, or

workers context – Allows for collecting the richest possible data to invent or design

from

• CI generates vast amounts of detailed data

– In response to the challenge of managing data the affinity diagram process was adapted to reveal patterns, order, and structure in interview and observational data

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Preparing for the observation

• You can never be overly prepared.

• Organize your equipment:

– Video/audio recording

– Tapes

– Batteries (and backup batteries)

– Pens/paper

– Digital camera

– Compensation items

– Watch for time keeping and time stamping

• Organize your foci & questions:

– Develop the interview protocol (i.e., script and questions)

– Try to anticipate the flow of the inquiry, but be open to following the direction the work takes you

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Scheduling Participants *

• Using your foci to shape specific criteria for selecting participants for your study.

• Line up participants well in advance and schedule a meeting time; call a day before to confirm your meeting time.

• You may need to compensate participants for their time.

– Compensation can be a briefing on or copy of your study report (especially useful for a business)

– Other compensation: energy bar, protein bar, candy bars, soda, cold bottled water, or Red Bull

– Have some options in what you offer

• You may need to negotiate the corporate hierarchy (i.e., the management) in order to reach the right people.

* Source: IDUS-215. Lecture notes Winter 2012.

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The Inquiry (Observation & Shadowing) 1. Scripted Introduction

– Introduce yourself and briefly describe your study

– Explain informed consent form, request signature

– Confirm the timeframe: how long will the observation or interview last?

– Get permission to record

– Articulate the focus of your questions

– Build your master/apprenticeship relationship

2. Transition to data collection (observation or interview)

3. Observe work/activity and interpret – Take notes and sketch pictures to capture social interaction, features of the environment, layout of a

room, seating at a meeting

– Follow your focus; draw the user towards your foci questions

– Interpret and get validation (Can you tell me what you mean by …?)

– Use probing questions when necessary

– Co-design with the user

4. Wrap-up – “Is there something that I should have asked but didn’t?”

– Summarize your understandings

– Thank the user; provide of restate compensation in appreciation for their help

– Leave the door open for future meetings

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Guidelines and Tips

Be sure to record relevant information:

•Document work/activity flow & tasks that you observe •Record work/interaction opportunities and problems •List tools/artifacts used •Jot down any preliminary design ideas (note validation and evidence) •Document precisely participants/user’s words/terms/vocabulary •Note your observations, impressions, reactions, and questions

Take good notes and visualize, e.g., mind maps, c-maps, simple icons, lines.

Even though you have an audio and/or videotape recording of the session, your notes will be the most useful for you later.

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Contextual Inquiry: Informed Consent

• Protects both you and the participant

• Explains any compensation that will occur

• Explains the scope of the study

• Explains how the results of the study will be used

• Explains what will happen to data after analysis

• Explains exactly how the individuals name, image, company, and words will be used

Print two copies per participant (or have participant sign 2); you keep one, they keep the other.

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Savannah College of Art and Design Informed Consent Form I voluntarily agree to participate in an interview/inquiry performed by students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I understand that this interview/inquiry is being conducted by _______________________________, in order to identify opportunities for design. I understand that the evaluation methods which may involve me include: 1. the recorded (audio and/or video) observations of my work 2. my completion of an evaluation questionnaire(s) and/or 3. my participation in a 30-90 minute interview. I grant permission for the interview/inquiry to be recorded and transcribed, and to be used only by _____________________________for analysis of interview data. I grant permission for the evaluation data generated from the above methods to be used in an educational setting. I understand that any identifiable information in regard to my name and/or company name will be removed from any material that is made available to those not directly involved in this study. _______________________________________ Research Participant Name _______________________________________ Date

SAMPLE

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Contextual Inquiry : After collecting data

• Directly after the inquiry (observation, shadowing, interview) as a team: meet and debrief; discuss the interview, and highlight key takeaways

• Transcribe your inquiry (interview or observation session) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! A full transcription is best, but is tedious. Partial transcription may be adequate.

• Send a thank-you note or email to the participant, and confirm that you may contact them again in the future.

List all participants

Include line numbers and, if possible, time stamp from video

Write exactly what was said and done

Researcher’s Script

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Contextual Inquiry : Interpretation

Interpretation

– Always label “facts” with the line numbers from our interview transcripts or the time from a video tape

– Everything labeled with a line number is concrete data; everything else is an unchecked assumption

– During design, be wary of unchecked assumptions

line numbers indicate concrete data

The assignment of meaning to observations

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End of slides

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