Contextual Inquiry
A Design Anthropology conducted during later stages of research, where the researcher goes to the location of the participants and interviews the participants while observing them in their own context (work/home/living space).
“Contextual inquiry is a technique that helps you understand the real environment people live in and work in, and it reveals their needs within that environment. It reveals what people really do and how they define what is actually valuable to them.”
Nature & context
Design Anthropology, User Research
Resources
Questions to be asked during the session, notes, recorder, camera, conveyance (to get to the participant’s location), preferably a fellow researcher so that there is an observer while the other researcher actively asks questions.
Procedure
Before: Understand the context and identify the right participant(s) who has ample knowledge of the research context. Finding an expert in the domain (of the design space) and getting them to agree to do sessions, in their own place is not always easy, so start recruitment early. Arrange for a fellow researcher, so that during the session, one can actively probe the participant while the other can observe. Prepare a semi structured interview to keep the conversation on track.
During: Record extensive notes giving attention to details, especially in relevance to the participant's context, daily activities & tools. Take ample photographs relevant to the context. Get the conversation moving and clarify questions regarding the key terms that participant uses, if any.
After: Quickly conduct an analysis, right after, of the notes, and pictures as well as other records generated like videos and voice notes and record/annotate your insights. Send out a thank you note to the participant.
Use Case
In the latter research phases of the waste management project, we used contextual inquiry to understand how “Express” the trash management company handles trash in the Bloomington community. Interestingly, the person managing the business was handing it part time and working as a full-time realtor. This was in turn shown in his office where his major tools were mobile phone and a computer because he remotely manages business. (We also observed him checking his phone and computer quite often, showing how considerate he is of his customers) All of which might not have been observed if it was a regular interview.
Sense Making Data
By being in the context of the participant, focus needs to be on data generated about the participant's tools, practices, routines etc. and observations made in his/her own context. Although non-participant observation can help record non-verbal cues, that data is not of prime focus.