Field Studies

Observe users in their natural environment to understand real-world behaviors.

Budget

high

Timeline

long

Team Size

large

Goals

exploratory generative

Pros

  • ✓ Captures real-world behavior
  • ✓ Reveals unexpected user needs
  • ✓ Provides deep contextual understanding

Cons

  • × Time-consuming and expensive
  • × May require travel
  • × Observers can influence user behavior

Example Use Case

Observing nurses in a hospital to improve the usability of electronic health records.

Additional Use Cases

  • • Workplace research
  • • Retail shopping experience
  • • Medical device usability