Methods
Field Study
Facts:
Also called: Field observation, User observation, Ethnography
Lifecycle stage: User research
Contributors: Nigel Bevan, Tomer Sharon. Based on UsabilityNet description by Nigel Claridge.
Version: 6/2009
A field study is a general method for collecting data about users, user needs, and product requirements that involves observation and interviewing. Data are collected about task flows, inefficiencies, and the organizational and physical environments of users.
Investigators in field studies observe users as they work, taking notes on particular activities and often asking questions of the users. Observation may be either direct, where the investigator is actually present during the task, or indirect, where the task is viewed by some other means like a video recorder set up in an office. The method is useful early in product development to gather user requirements. It is also useful for studying currently executed tasks and processes.
- Basic Description
- How To
Appropriate Uses
Allows the observer to view what users actually do in context. Direct observation allows the investigator to focus attention on specific areas of interest. Indirect observation captures activity that would otherwise have gone unrecorded or unnoticed.
It should be noted that observation can be obtrusive and subjects may alter their behaviour due to the presence of an observer. Co-operation of users is vital, so the interpersonal skills of the observer are important. Notes and videotapes need to be analysed by the note-taker, which can be time consuming and prevents the task being split up for analysis by a number of people.
Read More About It
Formal Publications
Courage, C. & Baxter, K. (2005). Understanding your users: A practical guide to user requirements - Methods, tools, & techniques. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/703450
Chapter 13 in this book covers field studies.
Web Resources
Rosenbaum, S. (2002). Usability in Practice: Field Studies. In Proceedings of CHI 2002 Conference, Usability in Practice session Field Studies—Evolution and Revolution.
http://www.teced.com/PDFs/Chi2002.pdf
A good overview of the role of field studies in usability, with references to related literature.
Nielsen, J. (2002). Field Studies Done Right: Fast and Observational.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20020120.html
Describes the "how to" for field studies, focusing on observing people rather than interviewing them.
