Introduction to Field Observation

Field observation involves gathering data at the user's environment. 0:04 It is the science of contexualization. 0:09 Field observations are referred to by many names. 0:11 Field observation, field study, contextual inquiry, fly on the wall, 0:14 shadowing, ethnography and guided tour. 0:19 The different names indicate how much interaction happens between 0:23 the participant and the moderator. 0:26 A fly on the wall hints no interaction, 0:29 while a guided tour might indicate there's more of a conversation going on. 0:31 The truth is that it doesn't really matter what you call it. 0:36 As long as you're observing a person, a user, or potential user in their 0:40 natural environment, you are in the field observation business. 0:44 There could be multiple goals for field observations. 0:50 Identifying new features or products. 0:53 Validating or invalidating team assumptions about users. 0:56 Identifying problems people might have. 1:00 Understanding user goals. 1:03 Understanding people's workflow. 1:05 Verifying or developing user profiles. 1:07 Collecting artifacts. 1:10 Artifacts are different things people use to complete their tasks. 1:12 For example, an artifact of grocery shopping is a written list of 1:15 groceries one prepares before they go shopping. 1:20 There are four important pillars for field observations. 1:25 One, observing. 1:30 Watching people as they go about their daily lives at home, work, in between, or 1:32 where ever, is relevant to what the product team is interested in. 1:37 Two, listening. 1:41 Learning the language and jargon people use in their own environments, 1:43 as well as witnessing conversations they have with others. 1:47 Three, noticing. 1:51 Paying attention to a variety of behaviors and 1:53 occurrences that might have significant implications on user needs. 1:56 And four, gathering. 2:01 Collecting different artifacts that might again indicate certain user needs or 2:03 missing features or products. 2:08