User research methodology recommends using contextual inquiries and user flow analysis for data-informed design. Contextual inquiry is an indispensable method when it comes to UX design. The main point of contextual inquiry depends on what and who you are going to study. Contextual inquiry is a research technique used to unearth what your users currently do and to probe their inner reasoning. Dan Russel, Uber Tech Lead at Google Search Quality (and what a cool title that is!) The term “contextual inquiry” is unfamiliar to most people outside the field of user experience design. https://uxmastery.com/conducting-contextual-enquiry-or-site-visits {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}. By watching the user and listening as they explain … This method is an excellent way to discover better means to improve a certain process, product, or service. Where teams create the world’s best experiences at scale, powered by the leader in creative tools. If not possible, you can suggest audio recording. This will help shed light on the current pain points to help guide your design decisions moving forward. Researchers use contextual inquiry to observe what users do and how they do it, e.g. It's best undertaken in the location where they're using your product (hence 'contextual') and it gives you that deep insight into how your product fits into the wider task. The researcher can ask the participant to perform specific tasks if they are to be examined during the research brief. A contextual inquiry is a UX method that is growing in definition. Knowing how and when to use it is the first step, but keep in mind that this will require a more engaged and informed … Rex Hartson, Partha S. Pyla, in The UX Book, 2012. There should be a collaborative partnership between the researcher and the participant to better understand what the participant is doing and why. Contextual inquiry at its core about observing engaged users in their natural context to see first hand what a user may not be able to report accurately. Contextual Inquiry is a UX Research method that combines observation and interviewing. I appreciate that we as UX practitioners may not always align well with that … A contextual inquiry is based on the interaction between the UX researcher and the participant. Ideally, if there’s a chance to interview the website’s design/development team prior to the site visit, you definitely should do that. This stage is where the researcher focuses on the outline planning and also the time where the researcher observes the users. Create your questions ahead of time and run them past other people to make sure that your questions make sense before you conduct contextual interviews. Learn how products become successful by incorporating user feedback into the design process. … Most of the time, this is in the early stages of a project. Contextual inquiry (CI) is a user-centered design (UCD) research method, part of the contextual design methodology.A contextual inquiry interview is usually structured as an approximately two-hour, one-on-one interaction in which the researcher watches the user in the course of the user's normal activities and discusses those activities with the user. For the most part, a contextual inquiry occurs at the beginning of a project when you are evaluating whether or not users would even have a need for your product. Coffee is my fuel — you can buy me one if you want to boost the sketch-creation process! A contextual inquiry is a UX method that is growing in definition. Required fields are marked. Rex Hartson, Partha S. Pyla, in The UX Book, 2012. So, what is contextual inquiry? Contextual inquiry is a method of practicing being present with users. You may find this method most useful in the early stages of your project. Your email address will not be published. Companies that thrive in today’s competitive market are “experience businesses,” but improving the customer experience is about more…. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You need to consider the pros and cons of this method before conducting your research. When taking this collaboration into consideration, there are two main modes of interaction to consider. Behavior is more accurate when observed in context. This technique is called contextual inquiry. Guerrilla testing is an informal way to test ideas, get valuable feedback, and find … Overview. You need to put a lot of thought and care into your questions and ensure that you ask the same set of questions to each participant. When it comes to finding inefficiencies in tasks or workflows resulting from bad design, contextual inquiry should be one of the first methodologies you try. In fact, UX research is the starting point for any project–it comes first in the UX design process because, without a proper research, product design can only be based on a designer’s own experiences and assumptions, which isn’t objective. Another valuable reason for a contextual inquiry is that it captures how users currently solve the problem that you are aiming to fix. To conduct a contextual interview, it should take place in the … A contextual inquiry interview is usually structured as an approximately two-hour, one-on-one interaction in which the researcher watches the user in the course of the user's normal activities and discusses … Contextual inquiry would be an excellent way for us to discover ways to improve the checkout process at a grocery store from both the cashiers perspective and the people buying goods. Discussion about what was seen is also held and any notes and recordings available should be taken and discussed. A contextual interview starts with observation and shifts to discussion, which tackles the things that happened in rapid shifts throughout the interview. By observing and asking probing questions, you can see what users do, better … Photos are also helpful when sharing your user research to others. Taking photos can give you a sense of the place and the key issues to be addressed as well. Send one or two seasoned UX … The contextual interview is an important part of the contextual design movement which was developed by Beyer and Holtzblatt. ... (UX) Design. Contextual inquiry is an indispensable method when it comes to UX design. ... Contextual Inquiry. Contextual Inquiry involves interviewing and observing someone as they work in their own environment. A contextual inquiry is based on the interaction between the UX researcher and the participant. Contextual Design V2.0 introduces both the classic CD techniques and the new techniques needed to "design for life", fulfilling core human motives while supporting activities. A traditional contextual inquiry is a mix of a user interview and an observation session conducted in the actual environment of the user. The contextual inquiry method involves observing people in their natural context and asking them questions to fill in the gaps of the observation. This technique is called contextual inquiry. Contextual inquiry is a variety of field study where a researcher observes people in their natural environment and studies them as they go about their everyday tasks. In fact, UX research is the starting point for any project–it comes first in the UX design process because, ... Contextual Inquiry. UX Indonesia Experts help you conduct the enquiry, analyze the results, provide insight and recommendations for your product. Here’s everything you need to know about remote usability testing & how to run effective tests. It is best to observe them doing the activities so you can properly take note of everything they do during the process. Contextual Inquiry, Affinity Mapping Matched with a local client, I conducted contextual inquiry interviews and UX research to provide a solution to their inefficient, analog filing system. Contextual inquiry is beneficial in cases where you want to find out about the users. There should be a research brief, where these things can be read so the researcher can refer to it every time during the whole process. My interest for design started on Tumblr when I was 13. Conclusion. A contextual interview, or contextual inquiry, is a user research method specifically designed to provide insight into the environment or context in which a design will be used. We are on a misson to build the ultimate Remote User Testing Solution. By observing and asking probing questions, you can see what users do, better understand why they work in a certain way, and uncover otherwise “hidden” insights that users may not naturally think to share. But as has already been mentioned, in UX, these kinds of clear distinctions are never really made, so let’s save ourselves the hard work of overly-detailed definitions. The participant can correct or add more insights to the researcher’s interpretations. Helps refine persona and scenario development prior to jumping in to the design. An effective way of directly observing the users and their behaviors is called the contextual inquiry A qualitative method that requires a lot of effort to become “statistically significant”. https://uxmastery.com/conducting-contextual-enquiry-or-site-visits So what the heck is Contextual Inquiry and why should I care? Time is needed in preparing for the contextual inquiry method. Analysis depends on the capability of the observer. 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