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Introduction – Navigating the Technical Terrain of User Research Field Studies

User research field studies are essential for understanding how users interact with their products in real-world environments. In our daily work with high-tech and complex products and critical HMI-systems, we continually face the challenge of providing deep insights that surpass the traditional boundaries of conventional user research. This is achieved by focusing on meticulous technical preparation and execution to ensure the integration of proven methods with the specific setups of the existing use environments in which we observe and interview users. This blog post explores the crucial technical considerations that ensure every observation and data point collected during our user research field study is accurate, secure, and valuable.

Ensuring Pristine Audio Quality: Hear Every Detail

Audio clarity is crucial for obtaining accurate user insights. Clear audio recording ensures that nuanced user interactions, comments and feedback is ceptured effectively. Poor audio quality can obscure user responses and lead to misinterpretations that skew the study’s results in worst case scenario. To counteract this, we use high-quality clip-on microphones adept at minimizing background noise and enhancing speech clarity. Depending on the workflow and the cooperative tasks, it is necessary to track more than one user in parallel. Having enough microphones on site, as well as a backup, saves essential time by avoiding the need to reconduct and repeat observations due to the inability to track every user’s voice simultaneously. Techniques such as placing lapel mics on participants, along with strategically positioning ambient microphones, ensure that every spoken word is captured with precision, as well as the noise levels surrounding the observed human-machine interaction. To ensure everything runs smoothly as soon as the observation starts, a technical check of charging levels and audio channel activations via laptops and tablets, dedicated to technical monitoring and settings, guarantees reliability and quality.

Comprehensive Video Coverage: See the Full Picture

The optimal use of camera configurations ensures comprehensive visual insights. Video documentation in user research field studies offers a visual account invaluable for later analysis. It allows researchers to observe non-verbal cues and interactions that might go unnoticed in audio-only recordings. We recommend employing multiple camera angles to capture a full spectrum of interactions, ensuring that nothing is missed. Our practice involves using both fixed and mobile camera setups to provide comprehensive coverage that brings every user interaction into focus. This can be achieved with tall camera stands that provide a bird’s eye view, combined with eye-tracking and POV (point of view) glasses with cameras, as well as mobile cameras on gimbals. If interactions on specific static user interfaces are of interest, cameras that allow a detailed view of these interfaces might be closely attached to these interfaces via holders. 

Synchronization of Data Streams: A Unified View

Streamlining data is essential for cohesive analysis. Synchronizing audio, video, and other data streams is crucial for creating a cohesive understanding of user interactions. Time-stamped data enables researchers to align insights from various sources accurately, enhancing the analysis process. At USE-Ing., we utilize advanced synchronization software that integrates all data streams in real-time, ensuring that every piece of information is contextualized within the broader scope of the study. This approach is particularly useful when multiple data streams are recorded and captured in parallel, potentially saving significant time during the analysis phase later on.

Procedure Documentation: The Blueprint of Success

Detailed checklists and procedure descriptions guarantee flawless execution and reproducibility. Accurate documentation of the research procedure ensures consistency and reproducibility, which are crucial for validating the study’s findings. Our method includes comprehensive checklists and step-by-step guides that cover every phase of the research—from preparation to execution and post-study analysis. This meticulous approach ensures that every team member understands their role and responsibilities, reducing the likelihood of errors and oversights. Like a precisely ticking clockwork, the entire research team can work together effectively and efficiently during the research study trip thanks to a well-structured check-up conducted just before. This allows each member the mental space to focus on the substantive and methodological aspects of the observation.

Data Security and Privacy: Safeguarding Sensitive Information

Ensuring robust protocols for protecting user data is a state-of-the-art responsibility for today’s user research professionals. In today’s digital age, securing personal and sensitive data is more critical than ever, especially in user research, which often handles large volumes of personal information. We adhere to stringent data security protocols, including encrypted data storage, secure data transfer processes, and compliance with global privacy regulations such as GDPR. The process begins well before the actual site work—starting from when the consent for data captures is planned and requested, documents are prepared, and participants are briefed. This proactive approach helps both the research team and the participants feel comfortable in their roles onsite, enabling them to adhere to the research plan without the need for onsite improvisation. Our commitment to data security not only protects our research but also builds trust with participants, ensuring they feel safe and respected throughout the study..

Conclusion – Mastering technical aspects for Insightful Outcomes

By focusing on these five key areas, we ensure that every study is built on a foundation of technical excellence that leads to reliable and actionable insights. These insights did not come overnight, nor did the optimization of the processes and procedures associated with them. Rather, it has been a journey of constant learning and improvement through many years of experience and practice. We understand that the success of a user research field study hinges not only on methodological expertise but also on how well the technical aspects are managed, which are subject to constant change. Therefore, we are committed to continuously reflecting on and adjusting our approach as opportunities for improvement are recognized. Our team looks forward to these future experiences.

In embracing these principles, we invite you to join us on a journey toward a deeper understanding and enhanced user experience, where every technical detail is a step towards perfection in practice.

Stay tuned for more insights and behind-the-scenes looks at how we are pioneering the future of user research and usability engineering.

STANDARDS & REFERENCES

• Learning from the User – Contextual Interview | USE-Ing. GmbH
• Workflow Evaluation and Interface Design IMRI Solutions – Research Project | USE-Ing. GmbH

Known as a contextual interview or Contextual Inquiry in English, it enables the direct learning of various aspects about the user themselves, the usage, and the usage context from the product’s user. The combination of observation and questioning uncovers relationships and backgrounds that can be incorporated into the product development process.

Therefore, the contextual interview is sensibly placed at the beginning or in the creative phase of the product development cycle. In the five-stage Design Thinking process, the method can be used in the “Empathize” phase, which aims to build an understanding of the user. In medical technology, the contextual interview can be used as a User Research method for creating the Use Specification in the Usability Engineering process.

Preparation of the Contextual Interview

A contextual interview should be well prepared. This includes selecting suitable participants. It is advisable to consider each user group of the product.

Furthermore, thematic focuses and relevant questions to be emphasized during the interview should be prepared. A guide should be created for a structured process. However, the interviewer should also flexibly adapt the questioning to the observed aspects and the individual answers of the interviewed user. Often, the questions become sharper with each conducted contextual interview, as the understanding of the relevant aspects continuously expands.

Execution

The contextual interview is conducted in the field, i.e., in the user’s usual usage environment. Firstly, the user is observed during interaction. The questioning follows in the second step.

During observation, it is recommended that the interviewer remains as inconspicuous as possible in the background to avoid influencing the usual workflow. In some cases, it may be useful to ask occasional intermediate questions during the observation, but care should be taken not to throw the user off track.

To enable a detailed analysis at a later point, it is advisable to document the contextual interview using video or audio recording. This allows the interviewer to focus on the conversation and conduct it smoothly without interruptions for writing. Alternatively, the questioning can also be recorded by a note-taker. While this risks losing nuances of the conversation, it significantly accelerates the evaluation. A combination of both documentation methods enables the evaluation to be conducted based on the notes and to refer to the video or audio recording in case of uncertainties in the notes.

Topics of the Contextual Interview

Aspects that can be captured in a contextual interview include workflows, the individualization of the product, and difficulties in interaction. Also, when and how often the product is used can be of high relevance.

Observing the user allows the capturing of implicit knowledge. Implicit knowledge refers to knowledge that the user can apply in the relevant situation but otherwise cannot easily articulate in theory.

The best-known example is tying shoes, which is a daily task for most people. Yet, the exact procedure is difficult for many to describe. The same phenomenon can occur with the user’s routine interaction with a product, making it challenging to capture implicit knowledge in a general survey.

The work environment and influences such as noise or lighting conditions, as well as dependencies and communication with colleagues and superiors, can also be relevant factors and captured via the contextual interview. The use of aids or the transfer of information or products are often meaningful aspects that can be observed and questioned. For example, if data need to be imported or exported into the system, difficulties with the compatibility of file formats can arise, making integration into the user’s overall workflow difficult.

If the interviewer notices unusual interactions or user irritation during observation, these can be directly addressed in the interview. Specific behaviors can be questioned, thus uncovering connections and optimization potentials.

Working with the Results

After conducting the interview, the notes or video/audio recordings should be evaluated promptly using appropriate methods. The results can then, for example, be transferred into personas and scenarios suitable for communicating the results to all project participants.

Uncovered pain points and optimization potentials can be directly transferred from the evaluation into product development.

The disadvantage of the contextual interview is the time required for execution and evaluation. However, the method is well suited for a thorough, empirical analysis of usage requirements. It is particularly suitable for the further development of an existing product or for integrating a new product into an existing workflow.

CONTRIBUTIONS IN THIS TOPIC FIELD

Standards & References