Field Research

Field research is a method for collecting information about users, user needs, and system or product requirements, which involves observation and interviewing.

During field research, we observe users as they work, taking notes and sometimes asking questions at appropriate times. Our observation may be direct, where we are literally looking over the shoulders of users, or indirect, where we are viewing the tasks remotely, or where we are viewing a recording of the user performing tasks.

What are the Benefits of Field Research?

The method is useful early in development to gather user requirements. It is also useful for studying currently executed tasks and processes and identifying where there are usability issues, particularly for systems that have a limited set of users, e.g. Call Centre application.

Other advantages include:

• See where the usability pain occurs for everyday users
• View real user journeys and system workflow
• Observe gaps and look for opportunities, where users have to rely on external software tools to complete tasks
• Hear the language of users, so that it can be reflected in the system
• Learn system short cuts that users have discovered

Can You Provide an Example of Your Field Research?

Yes. For a financial services client, we carried out field research that involved observing call centre and branch staff using a legacy system. For genuine prospective clients, we can provide more details of our the results of this field research.

To find out more, contact us.