21 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
21 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Contextual Inquiries
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---
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## Contextual Inquiries
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Contextual Inquiry is an immersive method to discover how a design performs in the context of its use. Designers can use contextual inquiry to discover aspects of a design that users may not consciously realize. Contextual inquiry involves both interviewing users and observing them in using the design in their own environment.
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There are four things to keep in mind:
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**Context** must be maintained – the designer should seek to understand the user's ongoing experience with the design, and for that, it is crucial to follow the user in their day-to-day life with the design.
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**Partnership** – the designer should ask insightful questions to probe deeper into the user's understanding of the design. A user's answers will be more informative and more complete if they answer while they are using the design.
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**Interpretation** – the designer should try to interpret the data collected from interviews and observations while they are still on-site with the user. It is critical to try to verify the accuracy of any hypotheses about the data with the user.
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**Focus** – the designer should focus in on the user's mental model of how a design works. In situations where a designer may be confused or surprised as to a user's actions or answers to questions, the designer can take this opportunity to try to better understand the user's perspective, and incorporate that into furture iterations.
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#### Citations
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Martin, Bella, and Bruce M. Hanington. Universal methods of design 100 ways to research complex problems, develop innovative ideas, and design effective solutions. Rockport Publishers, 2012.
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