Contextual Design
Contextual Design is a method of user research that involves observing people in their own environment as they work, play, and interact with products and services. By conducting contextual interviews, designers can gain a better understanding of how a product is used and how it meets or fails to meet users’ needs. By combining contextual interviews with other research methods, such as surveys and focus groups, the data obtained can be analyzed and compared to help develop improved products.
Interviews conducted in Contextual Design typically take place over the course of several days and can be performed in a variety of settings, including the home, office, and field. The interviewer is able to observe the user’s behavior and ask questions throughout the session, making it a flexible method of gathering data. The research team must ensure that participants are comfortable with being observed and know what to expect during the session. This is important, as if the participant feels uncomfortable or pressured to answer questions in a particular way, they may change their behavior or tell the researcher what they think the researchers want to hear. This type of bias is often known as participant bias and can result in skewed data.
The key to successful contextual interviews is in the preparation and planning of the sessions. A specific focus must be defined before the interviews begin, and this will help to keep the research on track. The researcher should be able to articulate the exact conclusions they are hoping to reach at the end of each interview session. This will allow the interviewer to ask targeted questions that will lead to the desired results.
What are the best practices for conducting interviews in Contextual Design?
It is also helpful to prepare a list of proactive questions, which can be asked in addition to reactive ones. This will save time and ensure that the interviewer doesn’t miss any important areas during the interviews. Proactive questions can include asking the participant about their motivations for using a product, as well as a detailed description of how they use the product or service.
During the actual interview, it is crucial that the interviewer remains calm and observant. The goal is to collect the most accurate and complete data possible, so it is critical to stay focused on the task at hand and avoid getting distracted. Interviewers should be prepared to interrupt the participant at any time if they see something interesting to discuss, but they should not interfere with the participant’s flow. If the participant feels that they aren’t ready for interruption, they should communicate this to the interviewer and continue until a better time comes around.
It is also important for the researcher to be able to interpret the data in a meaningful way, as this will help them to make more informed decisions. This is what separates contextual interviews from natural observations, where the researcher makes their own interpretations without ever consulting the subjects they are observing. In contextual inquiries, the interviewer is able to review their learnings with the participant, which allows them to correct or expand on any observations they have made.