THN Design
Trent Nguyen · Portfolio
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All research resources Research Method · Generative / Discovery · observational

Contextual Inquiry

Observing real users in their actual environment doing real work. Surfaces workflows, workarounds, and environmental factors users cannot articulate in a lab setting.

Use When
Generative / Discovery
Time Needed
2-4 weeks including access negotiation, on-site visits, and synthesis. Individual sessions typically run 1-3 hours.
Type
observational
Category
Generative / Discovery
Generative / Discovery · Use when you need to understand people, context, and problems.
Contextual Inquiry
observational
When to Use It

Where this fits in the process.

Early discovery, when you need to see the real environment and workflow, not just hear about it secondhand.

Time Investment

How long it takes.

2-4 weeks including access negotiation, on-site visits, and synthesis. Individual sessions typically run 1-3 hours.

What You'll Need

Before you start.

Access to users in their actual work environment, stakeholder buy-in to observe real work, and a flexible observation protocol.

What It's Good For

The kinds of answers you get.

Observing real users in their actual environment doing real work. Surfaces workflows, workarounds, and environmental factors users cannot articulate in a lab setting.

Watch Out For

Where it falls short.

Resource-intensive. Access to users in their environment can be hard to arrange, especially in clinical or secure settings.

Let's Connect

Need research-backed UX leadership on your next engagement?

Whether you're rethinking a flagship product or trying to make sense of complex user behavior, I'd love to talk.

Email me