Contextual Inquiry

Purpose & Objectives

Why are you doing this? What are you aiming for?

As a part of user-centred design we use contextual inquiry to understand underlying structures of our focus task, to explore the context of existing technologies and to prepare us for ideating future creations for our target users. The goal is to understand what roles are involved in the task, what specific activities users are performing and in what social context normal usage takes place.

Data Sources

Where do you find the knowledge or input needed to do it?

Knowledge is acquired through qualitative as well as quantitative means such as surveys, interviews, observations, screenshots and audio/video recordings with current or past users.

Procedure

How do you do it? Which techniques or tools do you use?

Firstly, the research questions are narrowed down. Once this has taken place, one or more data collection methods are chosen, after which a certain number of participants will be recruited and an on-site investigation is arranged. After the investigation is completed, the findings are analyzed and interpreted into insights.

Outcomes / Results

What do you get once you have done it?

Insights on motivations and needs of the participants/users are acquired. We also try to understand their problems and values. Thirdly, we try to understand the nature of the tasks and the way the user performs these. Additionally, we try to understand the solutions and exisiting difficulties with the current tools.

Using all these insights we will be inspired for our ideation.

Contextual Inquiry places the foundation for two methods that are commonly used for ideation - persoanae and scenarios. It can help understand different types of typical users as well as typical usage.