primary research – Design Compass

Design Research: Shadowing

Technique in which the researcher acts as an observer only, seeking to understand a user’s natural behavior without interruption or inquiry.

• Researchers prepare an observation guide that outlines the session objectives

• The researcher shadows the user throughout their workflow

• Observations are recorded as they are made, paying attention to the unexpected and unarticulated steps in the user’s process

• The observational data is collected and synthesized by the research team

Design team, 8-12 users

Varies by project

Understanding of a user’s workflow and environment

Quotes, audio, video, pictures

Guided interviews allow researchers to ask probing questions and explore themes and tangents leading to interesting research and design directions.

• Researchers prepare a discussion guide to lead interviews with users and stakeholders

• The discussion guide provides a road map

• The researcher is free to explore new ideas that surface during the interview

• Researchers ask open-ended and “why” questions to understand the underlying reasons for the user’s behaviors and mental models

Design team, 8-12 users

1 hour sessions

Deep understanding of the user’s mental models

Quotes, audio, video, pictures

Unobtrusive observation of participants in context to discover unarticulated needs and underlying patterns.

• Understand the current workflow in context and expand the scope of knowledge through observation and inquiry

• The primary method is observation with room to ask probing questions where appropriate

• Observation in context ensures that the researcher’s data reflects reality and leads to appropriate design decisions

Design team, 8-12 users

1 hour sessions

Understanding of the user’s workflow in context

Field notes, pictures